Tainted Existence
by tinhead
Summary: COMPLETE! While Peter rots in Azkaban, Sirius has imprisoned himself in his own mind. He's tried everything, but now Remus is onto their last resort - Harry. But what difference can one 7-year-old make? Pre-Hogwarts AU
1. Nameless Faces

Disclaimer: Alas that these evil days will always be mine that I don't own anything but the crappy plot line *cries*  
  
Summary: What if Sirius never chased after Peter, never went to Azkaban, was proved innocent and Peter Pettigrew went to Azkaban instead? But what if Sirius doesn't even remember what his own name is and what if he doesn't want to? What will it take to force Sirius out of his 6-year-long depression?  
  
Chapter One - Nameless Faces  
  
The boy in the cupboard under the stairs tossed in his sleep.  
  
Faces peered down at him. He could see a man with glasses, black hair and hazel eyes, a woman who had flaming red hair and bright green eyes.  
  
Another man appeared above him. He had wild black hair, and crystal blue eyes. He smiled down out him and shook his little fist. "Nice to meet you".  
  
Another man, this time with sandy hair and hazel eyes, smiled wearily.  
  
An old man with a long silver beard and piercing blue eyes twinkled merrily down at him.  
  
A huge man, with wild, bushy hair and beard chuckled as the boy played with his toes.  
  
All of a sudden, their smiling faces disappeared. A short man with colourless hair, a pointed nose, and watery black eyes stared down at the boy.  
  
He could hear screaming in the background. An evil, high-pitched cackle of laughter cut through the air and there was a flash of bright green light.  
  
7-year-old Harry Potter, of 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, shot up in his bed, rubbing the burning scar on his forehead, in the shape of a lightning bolt.  
  
Harry had had this dream before, but had no clue as to what it meant, or why it kept coming back.  
  
He thought that the woman and the man that he saw first was his mother and father, and although the others looked familiar to him, he didn't know who they were. Harry thought that these people were even being nice to him. Nobody was ever like that.  
  
He sighed and lowered himself back onto the bed. Rolling over onto his side, Harry quickly fell asleep.  
  
When Harry opened his eyes, he was in a dark, dank room, with bars for one of the walls. In the far corner, a man was curled up into a ball, sobbing into his hands. "I'm sorry," he was crying into the night, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry - its m-my fault -dead - no - can't - I'm sorry - want to die."  
  
Harry tried to make his way over towards the pitiful man, but he was tugged away by an invisible force, leaving the sobbing man behind 


	2. Through the Fireplace

Disclaimer: Yeah still don't own any thing but the plot :(  
  
Reviews:  
  
Lara6 - Yes! I interest people! This chapter's got a bit about Sirius, but I'm afraid you might have to wait a few more chapters until we finally get to him. :D  
  
Katie - *feels special* yay :D  
  
I HAVE REVIEWS! I AM LOVED! *cries* Yeah anyway, on with the story :D  
  
Chapter 2 - Through the fireplace  
  
Fog swirled around Harry. He seemed to be moving, but where to?  
  
He glimpsed a light shining in the distance. It got closer and closer, and Harry realised that it was a room.  
  
A sandy-haired man was sitting at his desk, a mug of coffee, long gone cold, resting next to the open books and papers that littered the surface. He twirled a quill between his fingers, muttering distractedly.  
  
Harry tapped the man on the shoulder. "I'm sorry sir, I didn't men to intrude."  
  
The man didn't respond.  
  
"Sir?" Harry tapped harder.  
  
The man threw back his chair and stood up. Harry scurried into the corner, and closed his eyes tight, waiting for the beating that he knew would follow.  
  
After about 20 seconds, Harry dared to open his eyes. The man wasn't even looking at him! He was rummaging in his draw.  
  
"Ah!"  
  
Harry watched in bewilderment as he drew out a pouch. The man made his way towards the fireplace and bended over it, pouch in hand. Harry scurried over for a closer look.  
  
The man took a pinch of powder and threw it into the flames. Harry's eyes widened. The fire was green! The man stepped into the fire.  
  
He caught onto his robes and jumped in with him, as the strange, sandy- haired man shouted "Hogwarts - Cockroach Cluster!" and everything was lost in a blur.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Don't worry everyone! Chapter 3 coming in about 10 mins :D 


	3. Remus' Outburst

Disclaimer: see chapter 1  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter 3 - Outbursts  
  
Harry stumbled out of the fireplace, coughing and gasping. The sandy-haired man brushed soot off his clothes, which Harry eyed thoughtfully. They were very strange clothes, he thought.  
  
The sandy-haired man sat down on a nearby chair. He seemed to be waiting for someone.  
  
Harry looked around the room he had tumbled into. It was very large, much larger than his cupboard, and seemed to be an office of some sort.  
  
Circular in shape, the beautiful room contained lots of strange little silver contraptions that were making funny whirring noises and puffing out smoke.  
  
Portraits lined the wall, and with a start Harry realized that they were moving. In the corner an old, shabby, pointed black hat sat on a stool.  
  
He jumped when he heard the man sigh. "What am I going to do?" He asked the wall, which remained mute. This didn't seem to discourage Remus because he - Harry blinked, startled. Wait a minute - did he just call him Remus? How on earth did-? Harry shook his head, startled.  
  
"It's been six years and I've tried everything. Well, almost everything." Remus grumbled. "What do I do now?"  
  
"Having a nice time talking to yourself?" a voice sneered. Harry jumped when he realised it was a painting talking.  
  
"Oh shut up Phineas," Remus snapped "It's your great-great-grandson where talking about here"  
  
"Touchy eh?" Phineas taunted  
  
"That will be enough Phineas!" A wizened man with a long silver beard and hair, and piercing blue eyes crossed the room.  
  
"Fine then," Phineas shot back "just make sure that this lunatic here gets on with the job, Merlin knows he's taking long enough. I'd rather not have a vacant great-great-god son you know." And with that he crossed his arms, stuck his nose in the air, and marched out of his frame.  
  
Albus Dumbledore made his way over to his gigantic, claw-footed desk.  
  
*How did I know that?* thought Harry *Oh well*  
  
"Hello Albus" Remus greeted him rather dully.  
  
"Now Remus, you know Phineas was making that up!"  
  
Remus snorted "Merlin knows he was close enough to the truth."  
  
"Remus." Dumbledore warned  
  
"What?" snapped Remus "He was right, and you know it. I'm taking far too long."  
  
"No you haven't, its quite under-"  
  
"WHEN DO YOU THINK 'FAR TOO LONG' WILL BE ALBUS? WHEN SIRIUS IS 65? IT'S BEEN 6 BLOODY YEARS! IS THAT NOT LONG ENOUGH?!"  
  
Remus was on his feet, screaming at the old man before him.  
  
"HOW CAN YOU BE SO CHEERFUL? HOW CAN YOU BE SO OPTIMISTIC?"  
  
Dumbledore just sat there.  
  
"I AM LOSING ALL MY FRIENDS ALBUS! ONE OF IS DEAD, ANOTHER IS IN AZKABAN! SIRIUS IS ALL I HAVE LEFT AND HE'S FADING! HOW CAN YOU TELL ME THAT IT WILL BE FINE? HE DOESN'T TALK, HE DOESN'T RESPOND! HE'S DYING, ALBUS, AND YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO TELL ME THAT 6 YEARS IS ALRIGHT? I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME!"  
  
Remus collapsed into his chair, breathing heavily.  
  
Dumbledore sighed. "Remus -"  
  
"Don't give me any more of your crap"  
  
"I'm not going to," he replied calmly, "you said nothing you tried will work?"  
  
Remus just glared at him.  
  
"Then I have the necessary papers here, you may collect Mr Potter in the morning"  
  
Remus was in mid-glare when he realised what Dumbledore had said  
  
"huh?" he asked dumbly "you mean I can get Harry?"  
  
"Yes Remus" "Thankyou" he said with relief "but don't think I'm not mad at you. I'm still absolutely furious" he fixed Dumbledore with another icy glare, then strode towards the fireplace, and disappeared into the flames.  
  
"Well," remarked Dumbledore, "that was an interesting experience"  
  
Harry stared, dumbfounded, as fog swirled around him, and took him away.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Sorry *sheepish grin* I know I said 10 minutes, but then ff.net went all psycho and wouldn't let me in to post this :( *Arrrrrr* 


	4. Petunia’s surprise

Disclaimer: See chapter one :|  
  
Oh yeah and I just discovered something :D  
  
You know how sometimes you've published a chapter but can't get to it because the links haven't been set up yet?  
  
Well, if you go into the story, at the end of the URL there should be something like "&chapter=X", where 'X' is the chapter number.  
  
If you change the 'X' to the number of the next chapter that hasn't come up yet, and press enter, you will either be able to get to the next chapter, or if it hasn't been published then you'll just get a page that says 'chapter does not exist'.  
  
Does that make sense? :S  
  
Anyway! On with the story!  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter 4 - Petunia's surprise  
  
Harry was awoken by Aunt Petunia, tapping on his cupboard door.  
  
"Up!" she shrieked "Get up you lazy boy!"  
  
Harry groaned and sat up in his bed.  
  
As he fumbled for his glasses he thought about his dream last night.  
  
Was it real? How did he know those people's names? How come the portraits could talk and move and what happened with the fireplace? Was it magic?  
  
The men were talking about someone named Sirius. Sirius. Harry suddenly had a vision of a huge, shaggy black dog with blue eyes.  
  
"Hurry up boy!" Aunt Petunia's sharp voice cut through his thoughts like a knife.  
  
Harry pulled on his oversized clothes and stumbled out the cupboard door.  
  
His aunt was waiting for him. "What took you so long?" she snapped "Get a move on, it's your turn to make breakfast!"  
  
Harry sighed inwardly. It seemed it was ALWAYS his turn to make breakfast.  
  
*Aunt Petunia does it about once a month,* he thought, frustrated *but Uncle Vernon and Dudley NEVER do it.*  
  
"Why can't Dudley do it?" he asked grumpily.  
  
"WHAT?!" Aunt Petunia shrieked "Spoil my little Duddykins with hard labour? What do you think he is boy? A slave?!" She looked horrified at the prospect of her Dinky Diddydums doing work.  
  
Harry still didn't understand. "So why do I have to do it then?"  
  
Aunt Petunia looked at him incredulously "Because! Because you're an abnormal freak and you'll never be like the rest of us! Hard labour is all you're fit for! Nobody wants you boy, they never did and they never will. That's why we got landed with you! Nobody is coming to collect you!"  
  
Harry stared at her in shock. He felt tears welling up in his eyes. What had he ever done to her? *Nobody wants me* he thought *Nobody cares. I'm a freak.*  
  
The doorbell rang.  
  
"Get into your cupboard, boy!" his Aunt hissed.  
  
Harry stumbled into his cupboard and wiped away the tears running down his cheeks.  
  
He closed the door behind him, but left it open a crack, so he could see who was coming.  
  
He hoped it wasn't Aunt Marge. He shuddered at the thought of her. She was always so mean to him.  
  
Aunt Petunia opened the door.  
  
"Oh hello," she said in a sickly sweet voice, "How may I help you?"  
  
Harry glimpsed a head of sandy-hair. Could it be?  
  
"Hello," A man's voice replied, "I'm Remus Lupin. Here are the legal papers - I've come to collect a Mr Harry Potter."  
  
Petunia's mouth dropped open.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Dignified Petunia with her bottom jaw on the floor *snickers* :D  
  
How was that? It was kinda obvious that it was gonna be him wasn't it? Meh :D Please leave me reviews! Even flames! I don't mind :D 


	5. Petunia’s even bigger, more unpleasant s...

Well. this is coming on quickly isn't it? Must be weekend boredom :| Meh!  
  
Disclaimer: you no the deal, if you wanna sue me my disclaimer is in chapter one and I'm just borrowing jk's stuff.  
  
Reviews:  
  
Marshmallow Orc (aka Anna the Insane :D ) - Hey! Theres nothing wrong with my handwriting! You just SUK! *snickers*. I'm aloud to say that - she's my sister :D  
  
But anyway.  
  
*Moulin rouge music plays* THE SHOW MUST GO OOOOONNNNN...  
  
Yeah. hmmmm  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter 5 - Petunia's even bigger, more unpleasant surprise  
  
Harry recognised the man in an instant. He threw open the cupboard door.  
  
"MMMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNYYYYYYY!!!!"  
  
Remus stared down at the little boy, who was now wrapping his little arms around the man's legs.  
  
*What the.?* Remus was very confused *How did he.?* he shook his head in confusion.  
  
*So this is Harry, eh?* he thought to himself  
  
"Hello Harry!" he said with a smile "It's nice to see you again! I haven't seen you in six years and you've certainly grown an awful lot since then!"  
  
He felt Petunia stiffen in the background. "You're a. a." he stuttered, looking terrified.  
  
Remus sensed her discomfort and smiled brightly. "A fully qualified wizard? Yes I am."  
  
Petunia looked ready to faint at those words, while Remus tried hard to suppress a snicker. He knew all too well what Petunia thought of the magical side of the population.  
  
He felt a tugging on his trousers and looked down to see a pair of bright green eyes behind glasses, gazing questionably up at him. "What's a wizard?"  
  
Remus raised an eyebrow at Petunia. "You never told him?" He ignored Petunia's mumblings of 'we th-thought he wasn't o-old enough y- yet' and said to Harry "Witches and wizards are people who can use magic"  
  
Harry's eyes widened. "Can I use magic?" he asked excitedly  
  
"Of course you can!" Remus grinned down at Harry, who smiled shyly back. "Now, Harry, would you like to go and pack your belongings and come with me?"  
  
Harry's smile grew wider, and he scurried off to his cupboard.  
  
*That's his bedroom?!* Remus was shocked, but shook the feeling off. He would deal with that later.  
  
"I hope there is no problem Mrs Dursley?" he inquired "I am sorry it's at such short notice, but this is an emergency."  
  
"No. It's fine." She replied shortly.  
  
Petunia seemed to have gotten over the initial shock that there was a fully qualified wizard in her home, but that didn't mean she still wasn't wary  
  
"I will return him as soon as possible."  
  
"Why don't you just keep him!" she snapped  
  
Remus' eyebrows shot up and he was contemplating on which hex to use, when Harry scrambled out of his cupboard, a box in his arms.  
  
The box mainly contained Harry's clothes, he only had a few belongings in there.  
  
"Harry, are you sure this is all?" Remus asked  
  
Harry quickly nodded.  
  
Remus sighed "Okay. let's go then."  
  
Remus turned to leave, and just as he was about to go through the door, he heard Petunia hiss something, which sounded a lot like 'Abnormal FREAKS!'  
  
Petunia had definitely picked the wrong wording. Remus didn't take kindly to being called an 'abnormal freak'. Past experiences, you could say.  
  
He whirled around, wand in hand, face livid with fury.  
  
"WHAT did you say?!" he spat He was annoyed at Petunia before, but now he was REALLY pissed off.  
  
Aunt Petunia paled considerably.  
  
"N-Nothing!" she whimpered.  
  
Remus stepped closer to Petunia, glaring into her eyes  
  
"That boy," he pointed at Harry, "will most likely be one of the most powerful wizards ever, one day! So it's probably not very smart to insult him like that! As for me -"  
  
He stepped closer and hissed into her ear "It's not wise to call out 'abnormal freak' to a werewolf."  
  
Aunt Petunia gave a frightened little 'eep!' and Remus stepped away, satisfied that his message had gotten through.  
  
"Come on, Harry. Let's go."  
  
He shot one last venomous look back at the pale and trembling Petunia, put his hand on Harry's shoulder, and marched him out the door.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I AM A WITCH!  
  
*petunia faints*  
  
hee hee hee :D  
  
that's all for today!  
  
Please review! Please? Oh just look at these puppy dog eyes how can you refuse them? (:( 


	6. Forgiveness

Disclaimer: Chapter 1 Peoples: D  
  
Replies to reviews: I have reviews! *dies*  
  
Anna - Yes, Anna the Insane. Firstly, my handwriting is FINE. Secondly, yes you do suk *the truth can hurt baby sister :D * and thirdly, Antolle ulua sulrim, Amin feuya ten' lle, Dolle naa lost, and finally, Lle holma ve' edan - an evil one that is.  
  
Megz2 - took me forever o try and fine an original idea, but im glad you like it :D  
  
Ash - You get to find out what happens to Sirius in chapter 8. I know that seems like aaaaggggeess away but I'm putting up the chapters really fast so it could be up today or tomorrow, hopefully :D  
  
Kyo88 - thankyou :D  
  
InsertRandomInsanityHere- Yeah, I have the *dancing on computer* problem a lot too :D Unfortunately, there's no ass-kicking Remuses in this chapter :(  
  
Wow I feel LOVED! :D  
  
On with the story!  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter 6 - Forgiveness  
  
Harry and Remus walked up the staircase to Dumbledore's office.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"Yes, Mr Moony?"  
  
Remus chuckled. "Its Remus of Moony, Harry"  
  
"Oh," Harry blushed, "sorry, didn't to - er - I - are you mad?"  
  
Remus looked down at the little boy who was staring at him tentatively. "Of course I'm not mad Harry! Whatever gave you that idea?"  
  
"Oh. Nothing.  
  
Moony?"  
  
"Hmmmmm?"  
  
"Are you still mad at Mr Dumbledore?"  
  
Remus stopped walking and stared at Harry "Huh?"  
  
"You know, you got real angry because he said 6 years was alright, but you said it wasn't and that Sirius was going away somewhere, and that that was bad." Harry crinkled his nose in confusion. "I don't understand Moony, where's Sirius going?"  
  
Remus finally seemed to regain in control of his mouth. "How did you know that?"  
  
"I had a dream"  
  
"Oh.." He turned and continued walking up the stairs, until he noticed that Harry was starting to lag behind *Well, he only has little legs* he thought  
  
"Incipio!" he tapped the stairs with his wand, and smiled as they began to move upwards.  
  
"Is that better, Harry?"  
  
"Oh. yes thank you" the little boy replied with a smile.  
  
Harry thought that this was like the escalators at the shopping centre. He had only been there once. He remembered riding on the escalators and remarking to his uncle that it was 'just like magic'.  
  
When he got home, Uncle Vernon had turned purple in the face and roared at him for half an hour that magic wasn't real, and don't you go getting any funny ideas!  
  
"Here we are Harry!" Remus' voice cut through Harry's thoughts.  
  
They had reached the landing and the stair case had stopped moving.  
  
Remus knocked on the door, which opened silently in front of them.  
  
Albus Dumbledore was sitting at his, reading something in a book through his half-moon spectacles. He glanced up when Harry and Remus walked through the door.  
  
"Ah! Harry! Pleased to see you got he alright, I'm Albus Dumbledore."  
  
"Hello" Harry smiled shyly. Dumbledore gave him a distinct impression of a bumblebee.  
  
"Evening Remus" Albus greeted him with a smile.  
  
Remus' gaze, however, remained cold and hard.  
  
Harry looked up at him and tugged on his robes.  
  
Remus lowered his icy gaze and smiled at the little boy gently.  
  
"Moony, don't be mad at him" the little boy whispered "He was just trying to stop you from getting sad and blaming yourself, because you wouldn't have been much help to Sirius if you were just moping around and feeling guilty."  
  
Once again, Remus was rendered speechless. *Harry is right* he thought, and looked up and gave Dumbledore a warm smile.  
  
Albus smiled back. "Now Harry," he said "How would you like me to show you to your room?"  
  
Harry smiled and nodded.  
  
Albus was about to take his hand when the little boy swayed violently, and fell, unconscious, in a crumpled heap on the ground.  
  
~*~*~  
  
What the.?  
  
Don't worry you'll find out next chapter :D  
  
Which will most likely be up today.  
  
Stay tuned for another episode of  
  
*Dah dah daaah* Tainted Existeeennnnnce!  
  
*toddles off to type up chapter 7*  
  
*and then 8.*  
  
*and then nine... and ten*  
  
*oh bugger - I haven't done chapter 11 yet*  
  
*grumbles* 


	7. In a Cold, Dark Cell

This is gonna be a looooooonnnng chapter :D  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter 7 - In a cold, dark cell.  
  
Harry was floating in a swirling world of grey fog. He looked around him.  
  
Before he had always been carried through the fog, but now he wasn't moving at all.  
  
There had to be a way out right?  
  
He spotted a dark hole in the fog. Maybe that was the way out!  
  
He ran - no, floated fast - towards it, gathering speed as his neared it. It was pulling him in!  
  
With a small *pop!* Harry fell through the hole and smacked his head on the cold, hard ground.  
  
"Ow!" he mumbled, rubbing the back of his head.  
  
Harry sat up. He was back in that room with the bars. A lump of rags sat in one corner.  
  
He wondered where the man had gone, he was pretty sure it was the same cell.  
  
The bundle that Harry had taken to be a lump of rags, suddenly moved. Harry almost screamed!  
  
He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that that was just the man, still crying.  
  
He crawled over and put his hand on the man's shoulder "It's alright".  
  
The man gave a start and looked up "Who's there!?" He shouted, looking wildly around him.  
  
His face was thin and pale, and his eyes bloodshot from crying too much.  
  
Harry gasped. Nobody had ever been able to hear him before!  
  
The little man turned his gaze to the source of the noise, and squinted for a few seconds, before his little, black, watery eyes widened in shock.  
  
"How'd you get in here?"  
  
His eyes took Harry's hair, his eyes, and his glasses, before flicking up to his thin, lightning bolt scar.  
  
"Harry?" he whispered hoarsely  
  
Harry's mouth dropped open "How'd you know my name?"  
  
The little man turned away. "You look exactly like James. but with your mothers eyes."  
  
Harry knew he was crying again.  
  
"Peter what's wrong? Why are you crying?"  
  
Peter turned over and faced Harry "Huh?"  
  
Harry sighed "I don't know how I know your name. Can you tell me what's wrong?"  
  
"You mean," he whispered, "you mean you don't know?"  
  
Harry shook his head, confused.  
  
Peter looked down at his hands. "Harry - I - do you know the reason your parents died?"  
  
"Yes they were killed in a car crash, Aunt Petunia told me."  
  
Peter shook his head. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard" He looked into Harry's bright green eyes. "Lily and James were killed by the Dark Lord, an evil wizard who wanted to take over the world."  
  
"So where'd I get my scar from then? Is he still alive?"  
  
"No Harry, you got your scar because of him. He tried to kill you, but something happened, something that he didn't account for, and the curse rebounded and hit him, stripping his spirit away from his body."  
  
Harry gaped in shock  
  
"But you somehow survived, even though your parents had died by the same curse moments before, and all you have to show of it is that scar."  
  
Harry shook his head, confused. "But what's all this got to do with you?" he asked.  
  
"I'm in Azkaban because I turned myself in soon after they died. Harry it's my fault you have no parents. I'm sorry - I betrayed them to him."  
  
Harry's was shocked. Suddenly, voices could be heard outside. A man in black robes wearing a white mask appeared, blasted the bars away, and stepped into the cell.  
  
"So Pettigrew," he spat "we meet again"  
  
Peter whimpered in fear.  
  
"Ready to rejoin the Dark Lord's forces, Wormtail?"  
  
Wormtail shook his head and backed further into the corner.  
  
"No!" he said "No! I'd rather die!"  
  
"Huh! Too bad for you!" the other man sneered "Imperio!"  
  
Peter's eyes were suddenly blank, and he walked towards the man, as if in a trance, about the join the throng of prisoners outside.  
  
Harry screamed after him "NO! PETER DON'T!"  
  
Harry saw him turn his head, and something flicker in his eyes, before they went blank, and he turned away.  
  
"PETER!" he screamed, as the picture in front of him began to fade. "NOOOOOO!"  
  
Harry shot up in his bed in the hospital wing, still screaming, drenched with sweat. Remus came running over to him shouting "Harry! Harry, it's OK it was just a dream!"  
  
"No!" sobbed Harry, "No! They took Peter! They made him, but he didn't wan't to go. No, leave Wormtail alone."  
  
Harry sobbed into Remus' arms, and didn't see the look on Remus' face.  
  
Peter? Wormatil??  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Was that good? :D  
  
For all those Sirius lovers, the next chapter will be called "The truth about Sirius" and you get to find out what's wrong with him :D 


	8. The truth about Sirius

Disclaimer: in chapter one  
  
The chapters are attacking me! ARGH! I have to get posted!  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter 8 - The truth about Sirius  
  
Long after Harry had cried himself to sleep in Remus' arms, Remus sat in a chair beside Sirius' bedside, twisting the sheets in between his fingers.  
  
He watched the steady rise and fall of his friend's chest - he was sleeping. *Not that it makes a difference whether he's awake or asleep* he thought bitterly.  
  
When Sirius was awake, he stared at the ceiling.  
  
When he sat up to eat, he stared at the wall opposite.  
  
He did everything slowly.  
  
He refused to leave his bed, other than to use the loo.  
  
He did not speak, he did not smile.  
  
He showed no response whatsoever.  
  
Remus knew what the problem was, he just didn't know how to cure it, and was beginning to wonder if it was possible.  
  
Maybe he would just have to sit there, and watch, while his friend died slowly.  
  
When Lily and James died, it seemed as if a part of Sirius went with them.  
  
He was so consumed by grief, that he didn't even remember his name, nor did he want to.  
  
He was lost in a world of twilight, between life and death, and every day he inched further and further away from his friends in the living world.  
  
Sirius had seen so much death. When Voldemort was in power, Sirius lost so many friends, and he existed solely to protect his loved ones.  
  
When James and Lily died, and Voldemort was gone, Sirius had nothing left to live for. He had failed to protect Lily and James, and now that those of his friends who were left, were out of danger, Sirius had nothing left to fight for. He sunk into heavy depression, and had remained there for 6 years.  
  
Sirius existed in body - he breathed, he ate, he slept - but the young, happy, smiling, mischievous man with the sparkling eyes and laugh like a bark, who could send the whole of Hogwarts into fits of laughter, was gone.  
  
Remus sighed.  
  
Harry was their last hope. If he couldn't save Sirius, Remus feared nothing could.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Well that was a bit - crap.  
  
Yeah like chapter 7 - that was kinda crappy too.  
  
Meh!  
  
Oh well! At least it explains what happened to Sirius.  
  
It wasn't very long, was it.  
  
Chapter 9 coming soon - involves Hot Chocolate, weak mouth muscles, and incidents with soggy breakfast cereal :D 


	9. Morning Drinks and The Malfoy Manor

Wow guys thanks for the feedback :D

I finally got 20 reviews! *dies*

Yeah I was also thinking that my chapters were waaayy too short, so I'll make em HEAPS longer  :D

All better now? :)

N sorry for the delay - skool and stuff *grumbles*

~*~*~*~

**Chapter 9 - Morning Drinks and The Malfoy Manor**

It was morning.

On a bed in the hospital wing, Harry Potter opened a bleary eye.

"AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

"Harry! Harry! It's OK! It's just Remus!"

Harry relaxed back against his pillow.  "Sorry" he said "but you just look like a smudge without my glasses."

Remus smiled and handed Harry his glasses

"Thank you" he said, struggling to sit up.

"Here - have a hot chocolate"

Harry wrapped his hands around the mug.  It felt nice against his fingers.

Remus took a seat, and they sat in silence for a few minutes, sipping their drinks.

"Remus?" Harry asked suddenly "Do you know a man named Peter Pettigrew?"

Remus choked on his hot chocolate, eyes wide.

"Sorry - I didn't mean to upset you!" Harry said hurriedly.

"No, no its quite alright Harry, it was just a bit of a shock."

"So you know him?"

"Ah - yes. He was one of my . friends at school."

Harry nodded, and Remus took another sip.

"So. why was he in a prison cell?"

This simple question caused Remus to spray his mouthful of hot chocolate all over Harry's clean, white sheets.

Madam Pomfrey gave him a reproachful look and cleaned the sheets with a wave of her wand.

Remus seemed lost for words.

"He - um - he - oh - er - "

"He said that he betrayed my parents to the Dark Lord."

Remus gave a strangled cry, and the mug slipped out of his grasp, shattering on the ground.

He ignored Madam Pomfrey's shouts of 'REALLY! Remus Lupin this is a HOSPITAL WING!!" and boggled at Harry.

"How did. how did you know that?" he whispered hoarsly.

Harry shrugged in reply 

"He told me."

Remus' mouth was hanging open "Huh?"

"I had a dream last night, like the one I had about you.  But this time, Peter could see me."

Remus just stared

"Well, when I got there he was sobbing about some people, called Lily and James. where they my parents?"

Remus nodded dumbly

"Anyway, he was really sad and he told me that he had betrayed my parents to the Dark Lord, but then a man came in with black robes and a white mask and blasted away the bars.  Then he asked Peter if he wanted to rejoin the Dark Lord and Peter said he'd rather die."

Remus was still staring, his mouth hanging open.

"And. and then the man said 'too bad!' and made him go in a trance and he did what the mean man wanted and went to join the others outside.

That's when I woke up." Harry finished.

Remus was still staring at Harry.  *I don't think he believes me* he thought sadly. *there has to be a way, maybe something in the news? A newspaper!*

"Remus? Do wizards have a newspaper?"

Remus blinked twice before the question registered

"Oh. yeah.  I'll be back." he wandered out of the hospital wing.

Three minutes later, Remus wandered back in, with an unopened news paper in his hand.

Harry took it and unfolded it.  The words "The Daily Prophet" were emblazoned across the top. 

He lowered his gaze to the main article.

"Remus, was that prison called Azkaban?"

"Yeah."

Harry sucked in a breath as he read the headline.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

**_FORTRESS OF AZKABAN RAIDED_**

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Under the title was a picture of the fortress with a dark skull floating above it in the sky.

*It looks evil* Harry thought

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_"The Ministry of Magic was sent into chaos last night, when to guards apparated from Azkaban, and informed Minister Fudge that the fortress had been raided.  _

_Auror__ teams were immediately dispatched to the prison, and were able to apparate directly, as all the wards had been taken down immediately before the attack.  _

"Death Eaters attacked the prison." _Benjamin Sphike, one of the two remaining guards, informed us._ "I do not know how the wards where taken down, but is suspected that one of the guards was not loyal to the ministry of magic."

 _The bodies of 3 guards were found one of the cells, but 4 have been announced missing._

"The dementors were gone when we arrived," _Auror__ Ernie Shingleton__ tells us_, "as well as all of the prisoners."

_There has been much speculation of what this attack could indicate.  Why were the dementors gone? The prisoners can be controlled bu the Unforgiveable Imperius Curse, but Dementors cannot.  Why would Death Eaters stage this attack?  They were gathering followers, but for what purpose?  What do we do if You-Know-Who finally regaining his lost power?_

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Look at this Remus." Harry said "

Remus took one look at the newspaper headline and yelled.

"God Almighty!"

"REMUS LUPIN I HAVE PATIENTS IN NEED OF CARE!"

"I have good reason to shout Poppy!"

Remus finished reading the article, and pale-faced, handed it to Madam Pompfrey, who screamed like a banshee.

"Told you so" he muttered.

Harry giggled.

___________________

Albus Dumbledore sat at his desk, his morning coffee beside him.  He had had the most wonderful two days!  For two days he had severed all contact with anyone on Ministry of Magic business.  That meant no Fudge pelting him with owls, no silly little Umbridges simpering on about how his school should be run, no Lucius Malfoys to be forced to talk to. life was good.

He had just finished writing a letter to his niece, when an owl swooped in, dropping a copy of the Daily Prophet on his desk.  Dumbledore settle himself more comfortable in chair and sipped his coffee.  He unfolded his newspaper, wondering if he'd missed anything. *Probably not* he thought.  

His sparkling blue eyes skimmed down to the first headline, and he leapt out of his seat, spilling his coffee all over the newspaper.

Dumbledore stared at the newspaper in horror, until he reached the end of the article.

Suddenly, his face went back to normal, even though his eyes were grim.

"Darn," he said, "that was good coffee too."

All over the countryside, owls were swooping in with the latest version of the Daily Prophet.

And all over the  countryside, the latest version of the Daily Prophet saw some interesting things.  

Mugs were dropped, coffee and tea were splattered on the front page (with an exception here and there of soggy cereal), people shrieked and swore, others fell off chairs, dropped their spoons, or had to be whacked on the back a few times, after they choked on their toast.

However, a few found this ordeal very amusing.  

Lucius Malfoy snickered as he read the last paragraph.

"Well DUH!" he said 

His son Draco Malfoy ambled into the room for breakfast. 

"What are you reading Father?" he asked, trying to sound polite.

"None of your business, you filthy useless lump!"

Draco's angelic smile vanished into a sad expression.

"Sorry, Father" he said softly "I didn't mean to be rude.."

"Well you were," Lucius snarled, "I don't know why I even bother keeping you in this house.  Your mother and I would be better off without you.  And don't call me father!  I will not have a son as incompetent as you!"

Draco looked at his father dejectedly.  No - not his father anymore.  He didn't have a father.   He could feel tears in his eyes, and his father turned to look at him, as one coursed down his cheek.

Lucius rolled his eyes.  "Yeah that's right you little wimp, go and cry." he sneered.  "Get out of here! You disgust me!"

Draco wiped away his tears, and fled outside into the garden, and over the wall.  Lucius had told him to get out, so he was getting out.  

There was nothing for him here, but a mean man who called him names, and an evil lady who slapped him every chance she got.

He was leaving.

Yay! Baby Draco!  1, 2, 3 - Aaawwwwww...

That was longer :D

Go me!

Btw - bluesnow5 person, whoever you are, I am deeply honoured to be on your favourite authors list :D

And someone else put TE on their fav stories list - I forget who but thankyou thankyou!

WOOHOO!

I luv you all!

Lol :P

Nxt chapter - find out more about Draco, Peter rocks up again, um um what else? Oh yeah, and Harry gets to meet Sirius! :D


	10. Some rather unpleasant meetings

Thanks for your reviews everyone :)

I'll probably be able to update about once a week, maybe more, because of school and stuff.

meh...

anyway...

~*~*~*~

**Chapter 10 – Some rather unpleasant meetings**

Draco was lost. 

He knew he was in the middle of muggle London, but he had no idea _where._

Not that he knew where he was going in the first place...

He stopped on the sidewalk and looked around him.  He could see dress shops, cafés, a muggle fast food restaurant called McDonalds, a bag shop, and... _Kings__ Cross Station!_

Draco smiled.  Maybe he could find somewhere to go if he caught a train!

Draco decided to try to saunter, like his fa – Mr Malfoy, did.  It always seemed to make him look like he knew what he was doing, and people usually ignored him.  Draco wanted to be ignored.

So he sauntered over to the train station, sauntered through the doors, and sauntered over to the time tables.

Draco was feeling very proud that his sauntering had worked when – 

"Who does that boy think he is, walking around like he owns the place?!"

Draco whirled around.  Behind him were two mean looking boys, about his age.

One was very round, with blond hair plastered across his chubby face.  Draco thought he looked like a pig in a wig.  The second was a rather scrawny boy, who had a face like a rat.

"What do you want?"  Draco asked smoothly

The two boys leered evilly at him.

"Well at least _say_ something," Draco remarked, "or are you too think to string two words together?"

Pig said nastily "that wasn't very nice now, was is it, Piers?"

Rat replied with "No, it wasn't Dudley.  Reckon we should teach him a lesson?"

Pig and Rat, now called Dudley and Piers, grinned nastily and advanced towards him.

Draco backed away.  Maybe if he walked fast enough, he could turn and run?

He was considering when to run, when he backed into a solid wall.

_Uh Oh,_ he thought.

Piers and Dudley stalked closer, rubbing their knuckles and pulling their sleeves up.  Draco started to panic.  He shut his eyes.  Oh how he wished that the wall behind him would open up, and he could get away.  If he focused, he could almost feel himself falling backwards, and –

*SMACK* 

"OW!"

Draco hit the back of his head on hard concrete.  Opening his eyes, he could see that he was lying on the floor, that Piers and Dudley were no where in sight, and that he was on a completely different platform!

Draco read the platform number off a sign.

"Platform 9 ¾ !"

This was the station where the Hogwarts Express was!

Draco slowly sat up.  All around him, witches and wizards were bustling around.  He caught sight of a red-haired lady standing with a boy his age, and a little girl.

"NO Ron," she said, "you CAN'T go to Hogwarts!"

"But muuummm," he whined, "Fred and George get to go, and they don't go to Hogwarts yet!"

"They have Orientation Day, and no, you can't go, it's only for 9 and 10 year olds.  You still have a couple more years yet!  That goes for you too Ginny! Now go and say goodbye to your brothers!"

The boy and girl went and did as she asked, and came back sulking.

"Wipe that sulk off your face!  Your too old for that!"

"Obviously _not_ old enough for Hogwarts" Ron grumbled.

Their mother glared at him.  "Come on now, we're going to meet your father in Diagon Alley, so if you wan't an icecream, you'd better get that silly pout off your face."

Ginny and Ron's faces immediately changed into angelic smiles.  Their mother rolled her eyes.

"Come on, now, wave goodbye, the train's leaving..."

Draco's heart lept.  It _was_ leaving!  Without a second thought, he sprinted over to the Hogwarts Express, and hauled himself on, just as the train got to fast to keep up with.

He was going to Hogwarts!

~~~~~

Back in the hospital wing, Remus was pacing back and forth, uneasily.

Harry watched him with a frown.  "Stop it Remus," he said, "you're making me dizzy."

Remus raised an eyebrow, but stopped pacing, and sat down in a chair next to Harry.  Because he could no longer pace, he twiddled his thumbs.

"Hey Remus... who's Sirius?"

Remus stopped twiddling his thumbs and sighed.  

"He's your godfather."

"I have a _godfather?_"

"Mm-hm.  Also a very good friend of mine, and we were both very close to your parents.  When... Lily and James died he was heartbroken... he didn't really see the point of living anymore."

Harry's face fell.  "He's dead now isn't he?"

"No, no.  He's still alive"

Harry felt his heart fill with hope.  "Can I see him?"

Remus hesitated, and then nodded.  "Yes, would you like to see him now?"

"Yes please"

"I probably should warn you, he might not recognise you.  Even if he does, I doubt you'll get much response..."

Harry jumped off his bed, and Remus led him to a separate room.   

He looked around in awe.  Everything was red and gold! 

He averted his gaze to the lump on the bed that was his godfather.

He knew that man!

"Why didn't you tell me it was him!?" he whispered to Remus, who was utterly confused, but shrugged it off.

"Sirius," Remus said boldy, "you have a visitor."

  
Sirius just stared at the ceiling.  

"Sirius..." Remus tried again.

Harry shook his head, and felt it was high time he took matters into his own hands.

He took a running leap into Sirius' bed 

"PADFOOT WAKE UP!"

Sirius turned to him and blinked in surprise, and Remus gasp when he saw his eyes widen in recognition.

"Harry?" he whispered hoarsly.

Harry grinned  "Yup, s'me Padfoot!" he said with pride.

"Harry." Sirius murmured, with a small smile, and a distant look in his eyes, as though lost in some beautiful memory. 

He reached up and gently brushed his fingers against his godson's cheek.

"Harry..." he said again, and a tear slid down his face, before dropping his hand, and turning slowly back to the ceiling.

He did not deserve Harry as a godson.  Harry would be much better off without him.  

Harry's smile faded, and he burst into tears.

Remus swept him off the bed into a tight hug.  "Shhh... Shh it's alright Harry..."

Harry just buried his head further into Remus' shoulder.

Inside his dim existence, Sirius could hear the far away sound of his godson's sobs.

_Yes,_ he thought to himself, _better off without me..._

~*~*~*~

_Underneath the Malfoy Manor_

Lucius Malfoy lifted the imperious curse as Crabbe and Goyle threw Wormtail into the corner of a room.  He sank in exhaustion onto the stone floor.

"Now, you fool," Lucius spat, "I am going to give you one last chance.  Are you, or are you not, going to rejoin the elite rank of the death eaters?"

Peter looked up him coldly.  "What do you want from _me _anyway."

Lucius' mouth formed into a sneer.  "Why, wormy, didn't you know?  _You _are going to help us bring back the Dark Lord."

This time, Peter sneered.  "And what will you do, Lucius, when your precious Voldemort is vanquished.  Will you go crawling back to the ministry, like the unworthy dog you are, and tell them of the imperious curse that you were slaved under?  I don't know, Lucius, whether they will believe you _this _time."

"CRUCIO!" 

Lucius' face  was livid with fury.  "You little worthless _rat._  How dare you insult me, and the Master!  You are not fit to speak his name."

"Master, sir, some one wishes to speak to you!" Dobby, the house elf, was watching his master fearfully.  

"Very well Dobby." He spat. "Tell them I will be up there in a moment"

"Yes, sir.  Dobby will, sir." He scampered up the stair case giving Peter a scared, but sad look, as he writhed on the ground in pain.

Lucius turned to Peter.  "Finite Incantatem!"

Peter's pain subsided, and he lay on his side, twitching.

"Well, Wormy, I see you have left me no choice.  It would have been wiser to rejoin the Master without protest."  His nostrils flared angrily, as Peter gave him an icy glare.

"If I had a choice, I would rather snog the giant squid."

"Ah, but as entertaining as that may be, you do not have a choice.  IMPERIO!"

Peter's eyes glazed over.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hee hee insulting Lucius :D__

Did you all go watch the potter puppet pals? Did you? Huh? Did you? 

Well if u haven't, the links are on my bio page.  Make sure you read them in order.

Hermione: I love to learn!

Harry: I love magic!

Ron: I love you, Harry!

Harry: Uhhh...

(PPP2)

Oh yeah – and review please? :D


	11. Draco and the Weasly's

Disclaimer: Eh.  See chapter 1.

Yes! A new chapter!

Have fuuuuuuuun

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Draco scampered up and down the corridor in the Hogwarts Express, unable to contain his excitement.  He was going to Hogwarts to see Dumbledore, and Hagrid, and the Giant Squid!

He had just completed his 14th lap of the corridor, when a compartment door opened and a firey head poked out.

"Oy you!" he cried, "wanna come sit with us?"

Draco grinned and nodded.  The boy held the door open for him and he bounced happily into the compartment.  

Inside were 4 more red-haired boys, all younger then the first one. Two of them looked only a little older than him. 

"Hi!" he said happily.

The eldest boy sat back down, and offered Draco a seat, which he took.

"Everyone, this is... uhh..."

"Draco."

"Yeah, this is Draco.  I'm Bill by the way – seventh year, and this is Charlie – fifth year, Percy – first year, and Fred and George, who are here for Orientation."

Draco smiled  "Pleased to meet you!"

Charlie grinned at him, and Percy leaned forward and shook his hand, rather pompously. "Hello, a pleasure to meet you."

He was shoved aside rather rudely by Fred and George. 

 "Why hell_oo_ old chap! "

"It's simply _marvellous_ to _see_ you on this _glorious _day!"__

"Just _splendid_!"

Draco giggled, which soon turned into a fit of laughter, as Fred and George made various snobbish faces that looked strangely similar to their older brother.

When the laughter had died down, Draco sat in silence, listening to the brothers as he swallowed a chocolate frog.

"Excuse me," he asked suddenly, "what's your last name?"

Fred and George grinned "Weasly and proud!", and Charlie laughed.

Draco's eyes widened.  Lucius had always told him that the Weasly's were trash – a disgrace to name of purebloods.   But they didn't seem that bad.  In fact, he would much rather be with them then Lucius.  

"Well," he said after a careful moments thought, "I like you very much."

"Er... thankyou!" they seemed a bit bewildered at his response.

"What about you?  

Draco thought carefully for a moment.  "I don't know.  I mean, what if I don't have a father or mother anymore?  Does that still mean I have the same name?"

He glanced up at the Weasly's, who were looking at him sadly. 

"Are they... dead?"  Charlie asked, hesistantly.

But Draco shook his head, and replied in a small voice  "No." 

Charlie scratched his head and looked at the little boy.

"Well," said Bill, "what was your name before then?"

Draco wrinkled his nose. "I really hate it, it's a yukky name.  Malfoy."

"**WHAT?!**" 4 voices roared.

Draco jumped off his seat in fright and backed towards the door.

2 wands, and 4 murderous faces were focused on him. He was truly terrified.

"GUYS!" came an angry voice "What're you doing?"

"He's a _Malfoy_!"  Fred spat out. "And probably Lucius' son!"

George was also looking murderous.  "Looks exactly like him.  I'll bet he acts like him too.  Probably knows half the dark curses in the book.  Bet you'd wish you could get your hands on a wand, so that you could hit us with a curse when our backs were turned, eh? Trying to gain our trust so you can take advantage of us?"

Draco shook his head wildly.  What were they talking about?

Bill was also furious, but for a very different reason.  "FRED AND GEORGE, SHUT UP!  AND YOU, PUT THOSE WANDS AWAY RIGHT NOW!" he roared.

"But he's a _MALFOY!_ Don't you see?" Charlie spluttered.  Percy sniffed in agreement.

"Oh yeah, I see.  I see you 4 acting like stupid gits, pointing wands at him like he's gonna kill us all, and terrifying the poor boy because of his last name.  You're being bloody idiots, judging him by his father.  If I was asked which side who was being more like Lucius Malfoy, I'd say you four."

Bill glared at the four red-heads, daring them to object.

A small, shaky voice rose up from the corner.

"He's not my father anymore."

"What's that?" Bill asked gently.

"He's not my father anymore.  He... said he didn't want me."

Bill looked up to his brothers, now looking thoroughly ashamed of themselves.  "See?"

They nodded.

"Sorry, Draco."  The twins apologised, "we don't like your father much, and we overreacted."

"Me too, we were acting like gits.  Can you forgive us?" Charlie asked

Draco smiled and nodded.  

Percy shook his hand, and smiled as pompously as he could manage. "I'm dreadfully sorry, I mistook your character."

Draco giggled when he saw Fred and George imitating Percy behind his back.

"Wait – " Charlie said, brow furrowed. "- how old are you?"

Draco grinned and puffed out his chest.  "I'm seven!"

They all stared at him.  "How'd you get here?" Fred asked.

"We–ell, this morning Fa-Lucius told me to go, so I did.  And I went to Muggle London, and got to the station.  So I was gonna find a timetable, but two boys came up and they were being really mean, and I thought they were gonna hit me.  But then I fell through the wall, onto Platform 9 ¾ . "

The red heads nodded. Draco continued.

"Well, I wanted to see Hogwarts so bad, and Hagrid and Dumbledore and the moving staircases, and the giant squid, and the castle, and all that, so I got on the train, and here I am."

Bill looked thoughtful.

"You're not going to send me back _there_ are you?"  Draco asked anxiously.

Bill shook his head.  "Nah – we're gonna take you to Dumbledore!"

Draco grinned, and spun around in circles, singing "I'm going to Hogwarts! I'm going to Hogwarts! I'm going to Hogwarts! I'm going – ARGH!"

***CRASH***

The Weasly's laughed as a nicely dizzy Draco picked himself off the floor.

~*~*~*~*~

Peter stalked through the halls under the Malfoy manner.

_~Find Harry Potter~_ Lucius' voice whispered in his mind.  

Of course he would.

_~Find Harry Potter, bring him to me~_

Wormtail found the exit, and was suddenly overwhelmed by the blinding light and the myriad of colours swirling round him.  

He stood, blinking in the sun, waiting for his eyes to focus.  

Then, he took his first steps outside, into Muggle London, as a free man.

But not entirely free.

_~Find Harry Potter~_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry comes in nxt chappie!

An update! a**HAH**!

Constructive reviews wud be greatly appreciated, flames will be laughed at.  Either way, make my day.

HA! I'm a poet and I didn't even know it!

I'm tired and I'm going to bed 

Goodnite!


	12. Monsters and Memories

Wow, what's the deal with me and my updating?

I put it off for about 3 weeks and then I'm like "Man, I feel like UPDATING!" and I post 2 chapters in 3 days.  What the?

Anywho.

Disclaimer is on Chapter One!

~*~*~*~*~

**Chapter 12  - Monsters and Memories **

_Hogwarts__ Hospital__ Wing_

Harry sat in Remus' lap, (who was deep in conversation with Madam Pomfrey), drawing a picture.

He was trying to make it perfect, because this picture was for Moony – Harry had refused to call him 'Remus'.

But he only had 6 crayons:  Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple and Black.

It was alright, though, because Harry had just discovered a new ability.  If he pouted at a crayon long enough, and thought of the colour he wanted, the crayon would magically change to this colour.

Right now, he was using a silvery-gray colour.  He very carefully coloured-in the animal on the page.  

His brow was furrowed in concentration, but he hummed to himself as he selected a dark green..

This reminded him of the time he'd tried to eat grass – it hadn't tasted very good, but he was hungry.

Finally, he was finished.  

He leant back an examined his artwork.  Yes, he had to admit it was good.  Probably one of the best he'd ever done.  

There was a lull in the conversation above.  

"Hey, Moony! Made you a picture!"

Remus smiled. "Thankyou, Harry!"  He accepted the picture, took one look at it and fell off his chair.

"HEY!"  came Harry's indignant shout.  "I was still on your lap you know!"

But Remus wasn't listening, he was gazing at the picture.

Harry grew worried.  Was his picture really that bad?  "Moony? Is it alright? Do you like it?"

"Harry," Remus breathed, "I _love_ it!"

Harry simmered with pride.  No one had ever complimented him like _that_ before.

Remus was still smiling happily at the picture.  "Wait – how'd you remember this?"

Harry's picture showed a beautiful night.  Standing on the grass, with the full moon shining behind them, was a silver wolf, a rat, a black dog, and a stag.  Underneath the four animals were the words: Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs.

Harry shrugged "Just did.  Why are you crying?"  he asked suspiciously.

"'Cos I'm happy."

His finger traced along the outlines of the stag, dog and rat.  

This was how it was meant to be.  He wished with all his heart that he could be back in the old days, when they were young, and stupid, and thought they were invincible.  

But for now, he had to make do with the memories.

"Thankyou, Harry." He whispered. "This is one of the best presents I've ever had."

~*~*~*~*~

_Hogwarts Express_

The train was slowing as they reached Hogsmeade station.  The Weasly's now had on their black robes.  Bill had a Head Boy badge on, and Charlie had a Prefect badge on.  Draco stood out like a sore thumb with his blond hair and silver-green robes.

"We're here!" Bill announced, as the train pulled to a stop.

Charlie grinned, the twins exchanged excited glances, Percy puffed out his chest and stuck his nose in the air, and Draco leapt out of his seat.

When they got off the train, an enormous man approached.  

"That's Hagrid, the gamekeeper." Charlie whispered.

"Whoa!"

"Firs' years an orientation studen's this way!"  

Fred, George, and Percy took off at top speed.  Draco was about to follow, but Bill stopped him, saying, "No – you come with us.  We can introduce you to Dumbledore."

Draco grinned.  Dumbledore!  He was going to see Dumbledore!

They turned and moved in the opposite direction from the students.  Draco watched his feet walk across the uneven stone path.  Suddenly, the path ended into smooth grass.

"Hey, Draco, look!  The horseless carriages!"

He turned his gaze to the carriages, and screamed.

Bill and Charlie came rushing to his side.

"Draco?! Draco, what's wrong?"

But Draco just stood, horrified at the sight of the things between the carriage shafts.

They were like black horses, with the heads of dragons.  Their coats hung limply around their skeleton, which Draco could see very clearly.  Leathery wings sprouted from their backs, and their eyes were completely white, with no pupils.

Draco had never seen any creature so terrifying on his life.

"Draco?" Charlie's voice cut through his horror.  Draco looked up at Charlie's worried frown, and then pointed at the creatures.  

"Monsters..." he whispered.  

Then he fainted.

~*~*~*~*~

Wormtail scampered into Kings Cross Station, and passed through the barrier to the Wizarding Platform.

Luckily, no one was there, except for a man up the far end, reading a newspaper.  

He stepped quietly onto the train track, and hurried out of sight.

He ran along the tracks, and began his 2 ½ day journey.   It was getting dark, but only one thought passed through his mind.  

_~Harry Potter~_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Short chapter, I know, but meh.  More is coming!  I've written about 2 more chapters, just haven't typed them up yet.

Chapter 13 is bloody huge, so I'll be like – hgbhgn bnhhgb nrtfg5 bvg bn *me banging my head on the keyboard* by the time I'm about ½ way through typing it up.

This chapter was about as long as my English oral.  Whereas, this only took about ½ hour to write (notice why its so CRAPPY) my English oral took 2 weeks.  Why can't we write stories instead of talking about the bloody Australian identity based on the most boringest play in the universe.  Why? WHY? Its not like anyone cares.

Anyway,

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! **

PLEASE!  I NEED REVIEWS!  My reviews have STOPPED! NOOOOO!

Btw, how come people always seem to _faint_ in my stories? Eh? Eh?

Well, actually, this is the only story someone's actually fainted in the stories I have on here, but I have a couple of stories in my notebook, and the characters always seem to _faint_.  But I like it :D.  It amuses me. 

Anywho, Bye! 

Oh wait, and btw _again_,

Do these elvy letters work? Or are they just screwed up and come out as "a b c" etc, or symbols?

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z


	13. In the blink of an eye

Pigs fly, the moon is blue, and eruve tinwen updates!

Is this the end of the world as we know it?

(im so so so so sorry!!! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!!)

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

**Chapter 13 – in the blink of an eye **

_Hospital Wing_

In the hospital wing, Harry was doing a jigsaw puzzle.  It was a 80 piece one – Dudley used to have only 9 and 15 piece ones.  Harry supposed it was because he was too stupid.

He was contemplating on where the orangy-yellow piece should go when he was swooped off the floor into somebody's arms.

"MOONY!  I was doing a puzzle!"

Remus chuckled "S'Alright, you goose, I was just asking if you wanted to come down to the feast with me, or stay here with Madam Pomfrey."

"Stay here!" came the reply "I haven't finished my puzzle yet!"

Remus set the squirming boy back onto the ground.  "Alright," he laughed, "I'll see you later then!" and practically skipped towards the door.

Harry giggled when he heard him singing "We're off to see the Great Hall, A Hogwarts feast for me!"

Madam Pomfrey bustled over, smiling.  "Well, I don't know what you've done Mr Potter, but it's worked wonders.  That would be the happiest I seen that Remus, ever!"

Harry smiled, "Nah – he's just happy he gets free food!" and burst into a fit of giggles.

Madam Pomfrey just shook her head.

"Here, let me show you how to make paper hats."

5 minutes later, Madam Pomfrey glanced out the window and announced the arrival of the carriages.  "Now, you get back to those hats of yours dear," she said, "and I'll just make sure my potion supply is ready for the horde of students that will soon be coming in demanding my attention.  Honestly!  You'd think they'd be more careful in this school!  Why, there isn't one day where I..."

Harry rolled his eyes as she bustled into another room, no doubt still talking.

Now, to the hats.  He furrowed his brow in concentration as he thought of who to make them for, then set to work.

A couple of minutes later, Harry had completed five hats, and labelled them 'Moony', 'Padfoot', 'Poppy', 'Albus', and 'Harry'.

He put in hat on, and set the others to the side, quite pleased with himself.

"...hexing eachother in the hallways, being attacked by dangerous creatures, falling off their brooms, getting smashed up by bludgers, _honestly_, I once had a girl who came in here looking like – Why, _thankyou_, Harry, dear!"  Madam Pomfrey beamed, as Harry gave her her hat.  "It's a very nice hat if I say so myself!"  Harry smiled as she positioned it on her head.

Just then the doors burst open, and a red-haired boy entered, carrying a sleeping blond boy.

"ALREADY?!"  Madam Pomfrey shrieked.  "Quick, quick, bring him over here!"

She bustled the red-head over to the nearest bed, where he gently laid down the boy in his arms.

"Now, Mr Weasley, tell me what happened.  How old is this boy?"

"He's seven."

"SEVEN?"

"Yes... but... long story.  Anyway, we got off the Hogwarts Express and went to the carriages. He took one look, proclaimed there were monsters and fainted.  Well, he's had a rough day, so maybe he imagined them..."

Madam Pomfrey stared hard at the red-head before saying, "Mr Weasley, I doubt he was hallucinating.  Rather, you couldn't see them."

"But –"

"Have you ever heard of Thestrals?"

The Weasley boy looked horrified. "You mean..."

Madam Pomfrey nodded sadly "Yes, I do, the poor dear.  And at his age as well.  I wonder who it was – never mind.  It makes sense that he fainted, though.  They can be quite terrifying to look at."

The boy just nodded.

"Now Bill, you get down to the feast.  I will take care of Mr...?"

"Draco Malfoy."

Madam Pomfrey blinked in surprise.  "Ah – Alright then, I'll take care of Mr Malfoy for you."

Bill smiled and thanked her, then left the hospital wing.

Madam Pomfrey stared down at the bed in shock, before slowly shaking her head.  "Will wonders never cease?"

Harry had no idea what she was talking about, so he set about making a hat for Draco.

-o-o-o-

_Hogwarts Express train tracks_

Walking.  Walking on and on.  An endless stretch of horizontal bars, glaring up at him. 

It was getting cold. And dark. 

How long to go?  
1 ½ days.

There – a little alcove.  
He shuffled over to it, and curled up into a ball.

The night was cold, and the days were long.    
But he would find him.  And he would bring him to his master.

-o-o-o-

_Hospital Wing_

Draco opened his eyes, blinking away the sleep.  Above him was a pristine white ceiling.  _White?_

Suddenly, the memories came back to him.  His father, the train, the Weasleys, Hagrid, _monsters_.

He shot up in his bed, and gazed wildly around him.  _Where am I?_

A little raven-haired boy was sitting on the floor across the room, wearing a paper hat.  At the sudden noise, he looked up, and gazed at Draco with emerald eyes hidden behind glasses.

"Hello" he said, "I made you a hat."  He held up a paper hat with 'Draco' written on it in shaky letters.

Draco blinked in surprise, and opened his mouth to ask why he'd made something for _him_, when the other boy cut him off.

"Are you seven?"

Draco nodded mutely.

"Cool! Me too!  I'm Harry, by the way."  He grinned

Draco tried to get out of the bed to find Bill, or the others, but found himself tangled in the sheets.  He glared at them, then struggled to get out, but to no avail.

Harry giggled, and skipped over.  "Here, I'll help".  He untangled Draco from the sheets, and helped him out of bed.  "If you're looking for the red-head boy, he went down to the feast.  But he'll be back soon, so don't worry."

Draco smiled nervously, and Harry took this for a sign of encouragement.  He grinned and grabbed his new-found friend's arm.

"Come on! I've got something really cool to show you!"

Checking that there were no angry nurses in sight, Harry pulled Draco into a side room.  He let go of his arm, and rummaged through a box by the door.  Straightening up with a grin, he pulled out a silvery cloak.

"Look!"  he crowed triumphantly, "its an Invibily cloak!"

Draco's eyes widened as Harry wrapped himself up in the cloak, his body disappearing.   An invibily cloak!  "Wow..." he whispered, "they're really rare..."

"Here, you have a go"

Draco accepted the cloak and carefully wound it round his body.  He looked down, and saw that there was nothing there!

Feeling around with invisible hands, he smiled as he realised that his body hadn't vanished, it just appeared to have.

"It was my Dad's."  Harry's voice brought him back to reality with a jolt.

"Oh." He said, "who's your dad?"

A sad smile settled itself on Harry's face. "He died.  His name was James.  Moony says he looked just like me when he was my age, but with different coloured eyes."

"What... what happened?" Draco dared to ask

"Voldemort killed him when I was a baby.  Mum too. Moony says Mum was really pretty.  He says that she was really nice too, and she was the bestest mum..." he trailed off, and stared at his feet.

"I'm sorry."

Harry took a deep breath to calm himself. "Nah – its OK.  I just wonder what it would be like, you know, to have a mum and dad."

Draco nodded in understanding.  "Yeah – I know what you mean.  My – my mother and father aren't very nice. I... don't think they wanted me.  That's why I'm here.  Run away."

Harry's eyes grew wide.  "You _ran away_? Wow!  How? Tell me!"

Draco smiled and told Harry his story. 

"... and then these boys came up, Duffy and Piss I think their names were.  And they – "  
"Dudley?"  
"oh yeah – that sounds more like it..."  
"That's my cousin!  Did he look like an overgrown marshmallow with blond frosting on the top?"  
"Exactly!"  
"I knew it!  I knew it!"  
"You're crazy, Harry.  Quit dancing, and sit back down!  You look like a monkey and I need to tell you the rest!"  
"Fine, fine"  
"_Anyway_, then they came up to me and..."

-o-o-o-

_Twenty minutes later..._

"Whoa."  Harry stared at Draco with wide eyes.

"Yeah, I know!  They were so gross-looking!" 

"Did they attack you?"

"Nah – they were too afraid of me!"

Harry grinned. "Whatever you say, Draco."  As he pushed his messy black hair away from his face, Draco caught a glimpse of something on his forehead. 

"What's that on your head?"

"Huh? Oh you mean my scar."  Harry pushed his hair up to show Draco his lightening bolt scar. "Moony says I got it from Voldemort."

But Draco wasn't listening.  His mouth was hanging open, and his eyes were bulging.

"Er – Draco – are you alright?" Harry asked.

Draco snapped out of his trance-like state and said, "you're _Harry__ Potter__!"  
_"Er....yeah..."  
"You're _famous!"  
_"Whoa. What?!"  
 "You are!  You're Harry Potter and you're famous!"

Harry looked bewildered.  7 years he'd been running away from Dudley, and being told he meant nothing but Vernon and Petunia, when all this time he'd been _famous?_ "What for?"

Draco's brow furrowed.  "Can't remember."  
Harry nodded slowly, then smiled as he remembered something very, very important.  
"I found out where Madam Pomfrey keeps her chocolate!"  
"What?!"  
"I did!  Come on!"

Harry raced out of the room, and Draco only took time to carefully fold up the invisibility cloak before speeding after him, headed for some chocolate just waiting to be eaten...

-o-o-o-

Later that night, Remus and Bill entered the Hospital Wing, searching for their charges. 

Madam Pomfrey smiled softly when they inquired as to their whereabouts, and jerked a thumb back over her shoulder towards her desk, before bustling off again to see a patient.

Remus crept around it and smiled.

Behind Madam Pomfrey's desk were two little boys with paper hats on.  They were curled up next two each other, with wrappers all around them, and smiles and smears of chocolate all over their sleeping faces.

Remus motioned Bill over, and they gently picked up the sleeping boys.  Laying Harry on his bed, Remus pulled the covers up to his chin, before planting a kiss on his forehead, and sneaking out.

-o-o-o-

_The next day..._

The first rays of dawn peeked through the window to climb onto Sirius' bed, bathing it in their honey-coloured light.  
The warm golden fingers reached towards him.  They promised of good times, smiles, laughter.  They spoke of a new chance, a new hope, a new day.

Sirius turned away. 

These glints of happiness did not belong to him.    
There was only pain, death and sadness.

A tainted existence.

Sometimes loneliness can protect you.  But it kills you, on the inside.  Sirius knew he was dying. 

He only lived to die.

-o-o-o-

_5:00 am_

Harry sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.  He put on his glasses and gazed blearily around the room.  On the bed across from him, Draco was softly snoring.

Harry got out of his bed, and pattered across to his friend.    
"Draco!" he whispered, and poked him in the chest.  "Draco!"  
The blond boy stirred, but did not wake up.  
Harry put his hands on his hips.  "DRACO!" he whispered as loudly as he could.

Draco opened one bleary eye. "Hoozat?  Oh – arry.  Too tired.  Go sleep." He mumbled, and turned over, burying his head in the pillow.

Harry rolled his eyes and did the only thing that he could think of that would get his friend up.

"AGG! GEFOFMI!"

He sat on his head.

"What was that Drac?"  
"Ah _the,_ GEFOFMI!"  
"Huh?"  
"AGG!"  Draco shoved Harry off.  
"Hey!  No need to be violent!"  Harry remarked from the floor.  
Draco snarled.  
"Cheer up, Draco.  I have an idea."  
"What?"  came the grumpy reply.  
"Well, you know that Percy boy you told me about yesterday?"  
Draco uncrossed his arms and sat up in interest.

-o-o-o-

_1 hour later..._

Draco and Harry crept back into the Hospital Wing, giggling. 

"Now," said Draco gleefully, "all we have to do is wait."

They gave each other high fives, and went to finish off the rest of the chocolate.

-o-o-o-

_1st years dorm, Gryffindor Tower – 2 hours later_

Percy opened his eyes.

He could see the morning sun streaming through the window, and hear the birds singing.

_It is going to be a glorious day today,_ he thought to himself.  _Simply glorious._

He sighed contentedly, then swung his legs out of his bed, and froze.

His feet, instead of being their usual pale colour, were green!  He reached down and pulled up his pajama pants – the rest of his legs were green too! And his hands!

He jumped out of bed and raced to the bathroom, pulling the door shut behind him.  He turned to look at the mirror – and screamed.

"AAAAAAARRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

-o-o-o-

_Hospital Wing_

"AAAAAAARRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Harry and Draco grinned wickedly as a scream echoed around the castle.

"Percy's up!"  Draco said  
Harry snickered.

-o-o-o-

_7th years dorm, Gryffindor Tower_

"AAAAAAARRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Bill awoke with a start.

"What the?" 

That scream – it'd sounded like Percy!

He raced out of bed, down the stairs and pushed open the 1st years dorm door.

Inside was a hysterical and very green percy, surrounded by his, some frantic and some laughing, roommates.

"Perce!  What the hell happened?!"

Percy looked at him with scared lime green eyes.  "I – I don't know!  I just woke up like this!"  
Bill growled.  "I bet it was Fred and George, those little – "  
"Er, excuse me, but I don't think it was..."  
Bill looked down in surprise at the first year staring up at him fearfully.  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well – this morning I woke up and I saw two boys sneaking out of the room.  But they weren't Fred and George, because they were smaller than me and one had black hair and the other had blond."  
Bill was astonished.  "Harry and Draco?"  
But Percy scowled.  "Oh they are going to regret that – it's payback time."   
Bill pinched himself, trying to wake up from this crazy dream, where 7 year olds turned others green, and Percy wanted to _prank.  
  
_

Dammit!  It was real!

What was the world coming to?

-o-o-o-

The next day passed with no other major happenings.  Draco and Harry waited in nervous anticipation for Percy's vengeance, jumping at the slightest noise.  Their moods improved, however, after a visit from Dumbledore saying that Draco could stay in the Hospital Wing for the moment with Harry, and they celebrated with another round of Madam Pomfrey's chocolate.

When Harry snuggled up in his blankets that night, his mind returned to the issue of Percy's revenge.  He _still_ hadn't got them back...

'Oh well, maybe he's forgotten.'  He thought to himself, trying to ignore the small part of his mind that was reminding him that Percy didn't forget _anything..._

-o-o-o-

_The next morning..._

When Harry awoke next morning, his throat was very dry.  Probably the chocolate.  He reached for his glass of water, and drowned it in one gulp.

'Better...' he thought, as he lay back down on his bed. 

Man this place was white, he thought to himself.  'Why not a nice –'

**_HIC_**

Oh no.  He had the hiccups...

**_HIC_**

How he _hated_ them...

**_HIC_**

But they were very interesting hiccups; the highest pitched–

**_HIC_**

– he'd ever heard

**_HIC  
HIC_**

Suddenly Draco awoke (**_HIC_**).  "Ack – my throat..." he whispered hoarsely, reaching for the cup.

Wait!  Percy – Water – Hiccups.... "Draco!  Don't – "

But it was too late – Draco had already swallowed the water.

**HIC** Draco let out the lowest hiccup he had ever heard, and Harry burst out (**_HIC_**)laughing.  
**HIC**"What's happening?"  
**_HIC _**"Hahahahaha**_HIC_**aha!  Percy**_ HIC _**tricked us!****Hahaha**_HIC_**ahahahahahahahaa!"  
"You're **HIC**crazy."  
"I know Draco.  I know." **_HIC_**

****

-o-o-o-

**_HIC  
_****HIC**   
**_HIC   
_HIC**

Draco and Harry made their way down to the great hall, very excited.

**_HIC  
_****HIC**

Today they were going to be having breakfast with the students!

**_HIC   
_****HIC**

They burst through the doors and ran over to the Gryffindor table to sit next to the Weasley's.

"Heya **HIC** guys!" said Draco

"Hi!"

"This is **HIC** Harry if you don't already know."  
"Hi **_HIC_** everyone!" Harry waved cheerfully.  
The Weasley's (except Percy) looked at them strangely.    
"Uh – is there some hiccupping epidemic going around or something?"  
Harry grinned as he sat down next to Percy. "Nah – Percy **_HIC_** got us back"  
"Yeah" said Draco "pretty good **HIC** prank if you ask me"  
Percy simmered with pride as he was congratulated by the entire house, who had been listening in on the conversation.  
"Uh, **HIC **Percy?  When do these **HIC **wear off?"  
"Oh!"  Percy took out his wand and performed the counterspell.  
The two boys waited for a moment, before sighing in relief and pulling their bacons and eggs towards them.  "Thanks so much. We thought we were doomed!"

Later, after finishing his breakfast, Harry got up from the table.  "I'll see you in the Hospital Wing OK?" he said to Draco, who nodded, and the continued to stuff his face.  "Bye everyone!"

Harry bounded up the stairs and into the Hospital Wing.  Checking Madam Pomfrey had her back turned, he quietly crept into his godfather's room when –

WHUMP!

Before he could think what was happening, he was roughly pushed against the wall, arms twisted up behind his back.  He struggled to get free, but yelped in pain when he was given a swift kick to the back of his knee.

"Shut up!" a man's rough voice commanded.

The man pushed him out of the room, and towards the main door, but Harry dug his heels in.

"Move it!" the man growled.

Madam Pomfrey turned around at the sound of a strange voice and screamed, the potion bottles in her hand smashing as they hit the ground.

The man turned them to face her and pulled out a knife.

"Use that," he said, indicting the wand on the table, "and he's dead."  Harry felt the cold, biting blade of the knife snick against his skin, and a trickle of blood fell down his neck.

His heart thumped wildly.

Was he going to die?

-o-o-o-

Remus saw Harry skip away from the Gryffindor table, and decided, on instinct, that it might be better to follow him.

Who knows what sort of trouble that boy could get himself into!

He smiled to himself as he climbed the stairs.  Lily and James would have been proud. They had –

An ear-piercing scream and the smash of glass rent the air, cutting through his thoughts.

It was Poppy.

He took the steps 2 at a time, and sprinted as fast as he could towards the Hospital Wing. 

He wrenched open the door, and his heart skipped a beat.

Madam Pomfrey was staring, horrified, at a short, balding man.  Over the man's shoulder, Remus could see a trembling mop of black hair.

The man turned to stare at him.

Remus gasped.

It was Peter.  Peter holding a knife to Harry's skin.  Peter, his hands already red with Harry's blood.

Peter, going to kill James' son.

Remus growled deep in his throat.  His eyes flashed.  No one – _no one_, would ever hurt Harry!

Remus made to lunge at him, but something in his former friend's eyes made him stop.

They were completely blank.

_No! They took Peter! They made him, but he didn't want to go. No, leave Wormtail alone._

Something clicked in Remus' brain.

_Imperius___

"Peter!" he screamed "Peter! Snap out of it."

But Peter just continued to stare blankly at him, with his knife at Harry's neck.

It was so nice and – warm in here. Hmmm... Floating...

"Peter!  It's me – Moony!"

So happy.  Wait... hmmmm?

"Don't' you remember? The marauders? Padfoot? PRONGS? PETER!"

Prongs...Prongs... there was something he should remember about that.  Prongs... a stag? Stag...

He looked down to see a mop of black hair.

JAMES!

He had to – but it was so warm and-

NO! 

He struggled with the heaviness on his mind.

take the boy

But that was James' son

take the boy!

No!

TAKE THE BOY

"NO I WONT!"

Remus took in a breath at the words Wormtail just screamed.

"Wormtail! You can do it! Please, please try!  Please!"

take him!

But Wormtail wasn't very strong, and the curse was already pulling him under again.

"Can't – Remus – Moony – too strong" he gasped out

Take the boy!

"Please Peter!"

"I'm – I'm sorry"

TAKE HIM!

Remus watched in horror as Wormtail's eyes faded into their blank state again.

Then he pulled out a PortKey.

"Mooonnyyy!" Harry screamed, and Remus lunged for him.

"Wormtail – NO!"

But with the blink of an eye, they were gone.

-o-o-o- End of Chapter 13 –o-o-o-

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! 13 pages in word :D 3432 words in story. Yay, go me!!

Grrr damn thing doesn't do stars OR swirls sulks

Hahaha how funny is that image? Draco Malfoy snot-extraordinaire (as we know him from JK) stuffing his face with bacon and eggs!  Damn that's funny :D

HP3 is coming out TOMORROW!!  (at times like these, living downunder really sucks.  But oh well – I'll live)

Im seeing it Friday nite (day after 2moro) and I AM SO EXCITED.  Give me goss all ye luckys whove already seen it.  Is it good?  They took the rating down from M15 to PG because ppl complained.  Is it scary enough to be M15?  WHEEEEE IM HYPER JUST THINKIN ABOUT IT :D :D :D

I just proof read and realised i've been spelling Weasley like Weasly.  I misspelled a canon character's name!  Noooooo!  How could I?! In the words of Jacques in Finding Nemo – "I am ashamed".

-

ANSWERS TO REVIEWS (WOO!)

**InsertRandomInsanityHere******

You are forgiven :D  But ONLY if you forgive me for not updating since March – I AM SO SO SO SO SORRY!!!! :(

But pah – keyboards these days!  They just cant take the strain.  And what is with this stupid thing?  I wanted to make it cool and elvy! sulks

**A.J.**** of Gryffindor**

 Hurrah!  And I love your stories too :D  Im reading Dead or Alive at the moment, but I also started reading trial of Sirius Black

They're great – I LOVE THEM :D

And don't worry – Sirius _will _get better

**Flight of the Wild**

Ah, to faint ...  :D

Ummmmmm well its _sort off_ answered in this section – but well, Dumbledore being Dumbledore doesn't really reveal much about how he knows these sorts of things shakes fist  but I'll touch it again a teensy bit in the next chapter.

Which, judging by my latest performance, wont be out til next year (lol – jk)

**Samara-Morgan-101**

Yes, I was proud :)

But not much is to be said about _this_ update :(

**Eric2**

Thanku!! :D

**LaLa****-the-Panda**

I updated :D (well DUH, me.) lol

**MissMoony16**

Girlfriends?  Ah sorry.  Don't get me wrong, its certainly _not_ a bad idea and I will definitely include it in other coming stories, but not this one.  Mainly cos I'm pretty much up to the whole ACTION!  ADVENTURE! DANGER!  OHNO-NESS (hey – that is _so_ a word :P)  here, and I can't fit in new characters without screwing everything.  Besides, the whole idea is that Sirius and Remus are sooo alone and their lives are screwed, so having a girlfriend would take part of that away (and Sirius would probably not be all weirded out as much).

Really sorry about that!!  But I hope you enjoy it without the presence of girlfriends anyway.

**Vasquez1987**

I ask for reviews because I like to know that people are actually bothering to read my stories. 

It's nice to know you're not posting them to no one. 

I don't care if people just write that's its good, and please continue, because any little nice comment makes my day, and that tells me that there are people out there who actually want me to update, and think its worth continuing to read.  And if they are way adamant about not reviewing, do you _really_ think two little words will change their mind?

A little thing to think about.

**ShadowMecha******

THAT'S RIGHT!  DIE, ENGLISH! DIE!

But ANYWAY, yes I updated!  And it's a SUPER LONG chapter!! doo doo doooo!

**Yana5**

He will, indirectly winks mwahahaha. Lol :P

**Dearest sister minewaves clove of garlic at approaching marshmallow orc**

Get back, you! Back I say!! 

You are the evil flowerpot of DOOM!

-

In other news, there was an interview with JK about future hp, and this is one bit: 

---  
**Debbie****: What will Ron's job be when he leaves school? **  
JK Rowling replies - Well, assuming he lives to leave school... I'm not going to tell you :)   
---

What? WHAT?!  NOOOOOOOO NOT RON!

I'll bet he dies though.  I just _bet_ he does.  Just to piss me off.  Grr. Arrr.

-

Also concerning my '**Azkaban**' story –  
I just thought i'd make it clear - Harry did NOT kill Ron and Hermione, he was falsely convicted.  
Millions and millions of people – OK, fine, 2 – suggested that I continue on from that chapter.  While I said I wouldn't, I'm now reconsidering, because these ideas are popping into my head and forming a plot line :D  
But that will come out probably only after TE is finished – bear with me!  I'll try and get my ass movin...

Wheee millions and millions of teeny wheeny ficlets are circling round my head and getting bigger and **bigger **and **BIGGER **AND I CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!

THIS CALLS FOR DRASTIC MEASURES!!  takes out clipboard and pen, and settles on beanbag.  Writes and writes and writes and writes and writes and....


	14. Scarlet Eyes

Saw hp3.  Omg.  Funniest hp movie EVER :D

tweet tweet tweet tweet... PFFF!

Snape: Mr Potter.  Just what do you think you're doing!?  _(or something like that)  
_Harry: ... sleepwalking?

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Well im proud.  That was rather quick, considering my last time :D

Enjoy!!

**DISCLAIMER:** Nothing here is mine, except for bits of the plot.  And when I say bits, I mean bits.  Because a lot of this chapter is pretty much directly taken from chapter 32 of Goblet of Fire.  After all, I'd screw it if it wasn't the way JK wrote it.  I would get half of it wrong.  So, if it sounds like you've read it before, you probably have.  
Please don't kill or sue.  I don't really want to die, and sueing is pretty much out of the question as I have a total of 35 cents in my wallet.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

**Chapter 14 – Scarlet Eyes**

"Mooonneyyy!" Harry screamed, and Remus lunged for him.

"Wormtail – NO!"

But as Remus reached towards Harry, Harry felt a tug behind his navel and his feet lifting from the ground, and the man's stricken face disappeared in a howling of wind and a swirl of colour.

"MOOONNNEEEYY!"

_THUMP!_

Suddenly, Harry felt his feet slam into the ground, and he stumbled slightly.   
If it wasn't for Wormtail still holding onto him, he would have fallen over.

He felt the knife being taken away from his neck, and he was shoved roughly forward.

"Get moving, you!"

Harry miserably trekked through the dense trees surrounding them, painfully aware of the wand now pressed between his shoulder blades. 

Suddenly, they were out in open air, and he was ordered to stop.  Harry straightened up and took a look at his surroundings.  They were in a grave yard.  It was dark and overgrown, weeds scattered around the shadowy shapes of the gravestones.  They were obviously nowhere near Hogwarts anymore, as he could not see the castle, or even the mountains that surrounded the grounds.  To the right, the black outline of a church could be seen shadowing the churchyard eerily.  To the left, a lone mountain rose in the distance.

Harry squinted into the darkness.  Something was coming towards him! 

It was a man dressed in a black cloak.  He was levitating something in front of him that looked like a baby wrapped in cloth.

Suddenly, the man stopped.  He lowered the baby to the ground, and bent over behind a large shadow.

"Incendio"

Fire sprung up beneath it, lighting up the area.  It was a huge black cauldron, large enough for a man to sit in it.

Harry turned away, shuddering.  It felt evil.

Suddenly, he was pushed forward again, towards the cauldron.  Harry ducked the wand and almost got away, but the other man strolled over to intervene.

"Pertificus Totalus"

Harry felt his arms, legs, neck and jaw snap together, so the only thing he could move was his eyes.

He whimpered in his throat as the other man levitated him over to a gravestone, and he was slammed roughly against it.

The spell was lifted and the man conjured ropes up around his body.  As he straightened up, his hood fell back, and Harry gasped in surprised.

He'd seen those eyes and hair before.  Where - ?

"Recognise me, do you, boy?" he spat.  Harry raised his chin in defiance.  "I've heard you've become quite good friends with my son."

It clicked.

This was Lucius Malfoy.

Harry felt anger course through him.

"You never deserved to have Draco as a son." He spat.

He cried out pain as a hand snapped across his cheek.  "Don't you ever speak to a Malfoy in that way, _filth_."

Harry glared up at him.  "I'm not the filth around here."

Lucius Malfoy's lip curled in anger and disgust, and he raised his wand.

Harry squeezed his eyes shut – 

"Cruc –"

_"Lucius, leave the boy.  Prepare the potion!"_

A high, cold voice coming from the direction of the cloths made him open his eyes.  He shivered.  No baby ever sounded like that.

"Yes, My Lord." Malfoy said.   

He walked briskly over to the cauldron and busied himself underneath it.  The surface of the liquid began to bubble, and sent out think fiery sparks.  Large billows of steam blurred the form of Malfoy. More and more sparks formed as Malfoy tended the fire, until finally it looked as if the surface was encrusted with diamonds. 

"It is ready, master."

_"Let me see the boy._"

Malfoy picked up the thing, turning his face slightly away as he did so. 

Then he pulled the cloth away from it, and turned it to face the boy on the gravestone.

Harry screamed.

It had the shape of a crouched child, but it was scaly–looking and had no hair.  It's skin was a raw reddish-black, and its limbs were thin and flimsy.

But it was its face that terrified Harry the most.  It was flat and snake-like, and its two gleaming red eyes stared straight into his.

It grinned.

"Harry Potter."

His scar exploded in pain.

-o-o-o-

Meanwhile, in the Hospital Wing,  Remus crashed into the bed stand with a cry.

He stood up, and looked around wildly, but they were gone.

Harry was gone!

He stood, staring for a minute at the place they had disappeared from, breathing heavily.

He turned to Madam Pomfrey, who was sobbing in the corner, and sprinted out of the hospital wing.

Taking the stairs four at a time, stumbling as he did so, he finally burst through the doors of the Great Hall.

Silence fell as he ran up to the teacher's table, and stopped in front of Dumbledore.

"Albus," He breathed, "Albus, he's gone.  Harry's GONE!"

The hall erupted.

Dumbledore stood up abruptly, a look of fear on his wizened face.  "What?"

Remus looked up in despair.  "Wormtail took him."

"SILENCE!" Dumbledore roared.  The talking stopped.  "Prefects, please take the students back to their houses immediately!"

Their quiet speculation started up again as the students were taken back to their dormitories.

Draco didn't move.  Harry was gone? 

"Draco..."  Bill was shaking him.  "You can come back to Gryffindor with us if you'd like" he said sadly.  The Weasley boys were all looking downcast. 

But Draco shook his head.  "I'm staying here." He whispered.

Bill nodded.  "Alright. But if you want to come up, the password's hiccups." He smiled sadly.

Draco nodded, swallowing back tears of desperation as the Weasley boys trekked up to Gryffindor tower, heads bowed.

Draco stared at the table in front of him.  Harry hadn't run away.  He had been captured.  And the only person that would capture Harry was Voldemort.  His father would be there. 

He knew what his father could do.

_- Flashback - (Draco is 4)_

_"Hi, Aunt Andwy!"__  Draco bounced happily alongside his favourite relation._

_"Good morning, Draco." She smiled. "How are you today?"_

_"I'm good.  Can we go to Diganallee today, pwease pwease pwease?" he looked up at her pitifully._

_ "Don't you use those eyes on me young man." She scolded.  But Draco just gave her another dose of 'those eyes'.  She looked at him defiantly for all of three seconds, before her resolve crumbled, and she gave in.  "Oh fine, fine." She said, "But let me speak to your father first."  Draco nodded happily and gave her a smile and a hug._

_"Andromeda!"__  His father's cold voice reminded Draco of where he was, and he sprung apart from his Aunt.  After all, being a Malfoy meant you showed no emotion.  Draco had learnt that at a very early age._

_"Coming Lucius."__ His aunt called.  _

_ She patted Draco on the head.  "I'll come and take you to Diagon Alley afterwards, alright?"  Draco nodded. _

_"But – be a good boy, Draco.  And always remember, you're my favourite little boy and I will love you forever." He nodded again, slightly confused as to why she was saying this now.  After all, he'd be seeing her in a few minutes, wouldn't he?  She gave his hair one last ruffle.  As Draco watched her walk away, he heard her whisper "Just in case..."_

_'Just in case of what?' Draco wondered.  Now he was really curious.  He knew he'd never be allowed into the den to hear.  He sighed and was climbing up to the stairs to his bedroom, when he saw something that made his heart leap – his father had left the den door open! He scrambled back down the stairs and crept up to the door.  Poking his head around it, he saw the two adults had their backs to him.  He slipped into the den and scooted across the soft carpet to behind the arm chair.  He made it just in time, because as soon as he was behind the chair, his father turned around and closed the door with a snap._

_"Andromeda – "_

_Draco__ found a peep hole in the couch._

_"Lucius, if this is one of your spiels about pureblood loyalty, I really don't have the time." She said angrily, turning towards the door._

_But his father just smirked._

_" Really__, Andromeda.  I would've thought you would have gained _some_ sense after the _tragic_ death of your dear husband."_

_"That is none – " She stopped, and cruel realisation dawned in her eyes._

_She whirled around, pure rage on her face.  "You.  You killed him!" she hissed_

_His father laughed. A cold, cruel, mocking laugh.  "Why, dear sister-in-law, if I do remember correctly, it was me!"_

_Draco's eyes widened.  _

_"Why you BASTARD!" she growled, advancing on him, her wand outstretched.  "You pathetic excuse for a man.  Don't you have anything else to do then prey on innocents? You think he was lower than you. Did you want to wipe out the 'scum'?  Is that why you killed Ted?  Left my daughter without a father?  Left me without a husband?  Or maybe it's because you can't stand to see that a mere _muggle-born_ may be better than you!"_

_"How _dare_ you!" His father spat. "CRUCIO!"_

_Draco__ watched in horror as his aunt doubled over in pain.  He squeezed his eyes shut, but it still didn't block out the screams.  _

_Finally, after what seemed like ages, his father lifted the curse, and the screams stopped._

_Draco__ opened his eyes.  His aunt was on the floor, gasping for air. _

_Draco__'s__ father stood above her, his wand pointed straight at her heart._

_Her eyes shifted to the couch, and widened as she caught sight of Draco, crouching terrified._

_Tears fell down her cheeks as she relayed him one last message through her eyes. 'I love you'._

_Then, she turned her face to his father's.  _

_She took one last gasp of breath._

_"You are nothing, Lucius."_

_"AVADA KEDAVRA!"_

_Draco watched in horror as the green light consumed his aunt, and she fell back onto the ground, dead.___

_Lucius laughed long and hard and Draco saw his father for what he truly was.  A maniac._

_He watched in angry silence as Lucius stopped laughing, and after transfiguring his dead sister-in-law into a cushion, strolled out of the room._

_It was only after he was sure his father had left the house, that he crept out of his hiding place and took the cushion._

_Draco__ buried his aunt that day.  The pouring rain washed away any small piece of love for his parents, and his innocence._

_- End Flashback - _

Draco looked up at the teachers conversing at the table, and jumped of his seat.

He ran up to them.  "Excuse me."

They continued talking.

"EXCUSE ME!"

The professors started.  
"Draco?" Dumbledore asked.  
"Sir," he said, "has Harry gone to the Death Eaters?"   
He sighed. "I am sorry, Mr Malfoy."  
"I'm not a Malfoy" he growled.  
"Ah.  My apologies.  But there is nothing you can do.  You may go to Gryffindor Tower if you'd like.  I believe the password is hiccups." He said.

Draco was angry.  "I know what the password is." He snapped.

Cries of 'watch your manners, boy' and 'don't you speak to the headmaster like that!' met his statement.

"Oh shut up." He sneered at them.  "My friend is in danger here, and I am _not_ going to sit around and wait for them to use him to bring Voldemort back!  He's going to _die_ if you don't do something."

Most of the teachers were whispering amongst themselves ('bringing Voldemort back? What is he babbling about? That's impossible!) and looking at him warily, except for Dumbledore, a greasy raven-haired man who was looking very pale, and Remus, who had been silently standing off the side the entire time.  He suddenly spoke up.

"I agree with Draco.  And I will listen to what he has to say.  If he says he knows something, I think it's well worth it to listen."

"But he's only seven!" a voice cried.

"I don't care." Remus barked.  Draco smiled at him gratefully.

"Now Draco," he said, "what do you know?"

Draco took a deep breath and begun.  "I overheard Lucius talking..."

-o-o-o-

All Harry could feel was a white hot pain in his forehead.

"See what I have become?" the thing hissed.

Harry moaned in pain. 

"I cannot even support myself anymore.  I must rely on my servants to feed and clothe me. 

But that will change soon, Harry.  Then you will pay."

Harry could make out the thing being carried over to the cauldron and it being lowered in.  There was a hissing sound and he heard its feeble body hit the bottom of the cauldron.

The pain in his scar burned harder then ever.  _Please let it drown_, he thought, _Please__._

He watched as Malfoy raised his wand and closed his eyes.

_"Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!"_

Harry watched, horrified, as the grave beneath his feet cracked, and a fine dust rose into the air and fell into the cauldron.  The liquid hissed and bright sparks leapt off the surface and flew in all directions.  The liquid had turned a vivid, poisonous blue.

Malfoy pulled out a long silver dagger from inside his robes.

He gripped it tightly in his left hand.  When he spoke, his voice carried a tone of steely determination.

_"Flesh of the servant, willingly given, you will revive your master!" _

Harry squeaked in fright and closed his eyes.  A sharp intake of breath was heard from Malfoy and he felt something splash softly into the cauldron. 

Harry carefully opened his eyes, and saw that the potion had turned a brilliant shade of red.

Malfoy was coming towards him, holding the knife.  His right arm was bleeding heavily, half way between his elbow and his wrist.

_"Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken, you will resurrect your foe!"_

Harry struggled desperately, but Malfoy just growled and held him down.  He closed his eyes, trying to believe that this was all a dream.

But the sharp point of the knife cutting deep into the crook of his arm assured him it was not.  Harry screamed in pain. 

He saw, rather then felt, Malfoy take out a glass phial and hold it to the cut, collecting a part of the blood that was starting to pool around the cut.

Malfoy straightened up, and went over to the cauldron and poured the blood in.

Harry closed his eyes to shield the sudden brightness of the potion, which had turned a pure white.  The sparks were flying off in all directions. 

Then suddenly, the sparks were extinguished and billows of white steam began to rise from the cauldron.  The steam covered everything.  He could not see Malfoy, or even Wormtail, who had been standing blankly and silently to the side. 

Then suddenly, everything went quiet.

Through the mist in front of him, he saw the outline of what seemed to be tall and skeletal man, rising from the cauldron.

"Robe me" the figure said in a high cold voice, and judging by the sound, it was facing away from him.  Harry saw the outline of Malfoy walk briskly over to the cloth on the ground, which turned out to be robes.  He picked them up, and pulled them over the man's head.

As the fog began to dissipate, the thin man turned slowly to face Harry, eyes closed.

He moved his long white fingers along his chest, and then up to his face.  It was paler than a skull, and had a nose like a snakes, with slits for nostrils.  Then, with a high, cold, mirthless laugh, it opened its bright scarlet eyes, and stared straight at Harry.

Harry's heart leapt to his throat. 

It was Lord Voldemort.

He looked away from Harry, and beckoned to Malfoy. 

"Hold out your arm, Lucius."   
"My Lord...?"  
"Your left arm."

He smiled as Malfoy skittered towards him and pulled up his robes, holding out his arm.

Harry saw a red tattoo on Malfoy's arm.  It was a skull, with a snake protruding from its mouth.

Voldemort pressed his long white finger to the tattoo.  Harry's scar suddenly flared up in pain again, and Malfoy grunted.

When he looked at the mark again, Harry saw it had turned black.

Voldemort straightened up. 

"Now we shall see" he whispered.

-o-o-o-

Many miles away, as the teachers back at Hogwarts were listening with rapt attention and Draco was still in explaining what he had heard, there was a sharp intake of breath from one Severus Snape.

They turned to him.  "What is it, Severus?"  Dumbledore queried, noticing the potion master's pale complexion and wide eyes.

"I – I have been called, Albus" he whispered, his right hand holding his left forearm.

Dumbledore bowed his head.

"Then it has begun."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Eh.  I know its not as long as chapter 13, but its better than the others :D

I hoped you liked that chapter.  I think it might be a bit disjointed in places, sorry abt that.  It was a very quick update time, wasn't it? :D   I am proud!

Answers to reviews (woohoo! I made it to 50!):

**Flight of the Wild: **Thankyou!  -_Pins feel proud badge to school jumper-_.  I do feel proud, thankyou :D  I hope this chapter is feel-proud worthy too, even if it is a little shorter, and probably crappier.

**Sakura Moon: **Sorree! No Sirius for this chapter, but there will be soon.  Hopefully.  If I can get up to that spot in my next chapter.  Thing is, I hadn't actually written half of this chapter and any of the next chapters, so if it's a bit off, sorry abt that.  But yeah.  Sirius does come into it eventually.  I'm in two minds about when and how, but I've already written the epilogue (what can I say, im a confusing girl) and he plays a major part in that situation :D  you'll see...

**My Divinest:  **Yes.  I like beanbags :D They are very nice and comfy and mmmmm....  
well anyway, I hope you liked this chapter.

**Samara-Morgan-101: **Yeah man, its alive and kicking (ow) lol.  And to top it all off, its UPDATED!

**Memories of pain: **Hee hee hee!  Oh the POWER! :P  but im hurrying, im hurrying lol

**Hi: **Thankyou.  Holy sock.

**Pixie89: **Hahaha ur review made me laff!  Possibly because I'd been having sugar shots all day.  But that's beside the point!

And he'll be brought back.  Most unexpectedly.  
Well... I thought so anyway.  Its probably really obvious.  But that's beside the point.  And im building up to a dramatic ending here, so pretend you don't know anything :D

When Draco goes up to the teachers, I was gonna have him and snape oh so luvey dovey you're my favourite fathery figure type thing, but then I was like.... NAH!  Lets give Draco some ATTITUDE!  After all, how could I resist such a chance to pay out Dumbledore??  And besides, the whole thing with Snape and Draco would screw up the ending... oh.  RED ALERT! RED ALERT!  SHUT UP NOW TINWEN!

**Yana5: ** Harry'll be back, don't worry. Thanx for your review!

**FroBoy****: **Thanks man.  Look, look! AN UPDATE! WHEEE! (something very very strange is happening to me.  I am updating.  In a large way.  What the? :P)

**A.J.**** of Gryffindor: **Nope! See!  – cheesy grin –

**Oh smelly one (aka Anna – the one who is Marshmallow Orc's identical twin):  **ummm... wasn't moria all niced out or some shit?  You are weird.  And strange.  And kinda... smelly.  I think it must be the garlic, sister dearest.  You should really stop eating that stuff.

Yeah well.  Good endings SUCK!  (says this as she is typing the mushy happy ending for TE) _sigh_ isn't it wonderful?

**Sorry if ive missed anyone!  Thanks for all ur reviews :D**


	15. Change

**Disclaimer:** Don't you know this already??

**A/N: **This chapter has actually been partially existing since when I started writing this story. So that's… 6 months? **6 MONTHS??!!** Shite… That's half a year. I have been here half a year! Wooohhhh….

While I'm at it. ALL HAIL THE QUEEN OF CHEESE, IN ALL ITS CHEESY GOODNESS! You know who you are. Hopefully…

* * *

****

**Chapter 15 – Change**

"So Voldemort is going to use Harry's blood to bring him back to life?"

"Yes" Draco said.

Dumbledore turned to Snape and leaned over to whisper in his ear, attempting to dodge the curtain of greasy hair that blocked his way.

"I assume you will be Apparating shortly."

Snape nodded and whispered back. "The Dark Lord does not like to be kept waiting. Ever."

"I must ask you a favour, Severus," Dumbledore whispered even more quietly than he had done the first time. Snape's ears were sharp, so he heard no matter what volume the Headmaster was speaking at. "I know you held no love or even any consideration for Harry's father, but please, you must put it behind you. We can not let Harry die. He is a symbol of hope and without that, the Wizarding World would collapse. It would be chaotic. And with a fool like Fudge in charge of the Ministry, think what would happen."

Dumbledore straightened up and waited a short while for the effects of his words to sink in. Severus Snape may have been rude and temperamental at times, but he was no idiot. Dumbledore pulled an amulet out of his pocket. "This Portkey will activate at the words Bertie Botts." Snape took the amulet with his pale bony fingers.

"I need you to get in there and save him. After all I have done for you, can you do this for me?"

Snape's cold black eyes stared into Dumbledore's crystal blue, before diverting forecefully away. The Potions Master clenched the amulet tightly, his knuckles turning white. He raised his voice.

"And if he was not your precious hope, you would leave him to die."

The teachers at the table turned to Dumbledore in confusion as Snape strode away, while Remus stared after the dark man, deep in thought.

But there was no question or contemplation in Draco's eyes.

Only the beginnings of a stark realisation of exactly what this golden man of glory truly was.

-o-o-o-

The Imperius on Wormtail was lifted. He looked around fearfully at the Death Eaters, before the realisation of what he'd done sank in. He saw Harry. His head snapped up to face Voldemort.

"You evil bastard!" he yelled, earning him a kick in the side.

Voldemort's eyes flashed with annoyance. He did not have time to deal with insufferable fools like Peter Pettigrew. "I'll be more than an evil bastard when I'm finished, Worm," he said mockingly. He turned to his Death Eaters. "Tie him up and keep him out of my sight! Or you too will have hell to pay."

Harry closed his eyes as the Death Eaters closed around the man, kicking and punching him with all the energy they had. It was a good 5 minutes until they decided it was time to leave him be. Not that they were being merciful, but because they did not feel the need to waste their energy on Wormtail.

Harry watched them throw Wormtail off to the side in a tiny clearing. He shivered with fright when they advanced towards _him_, fists balled and leers on their faces.

"Do not touch him!" the sharp voice of Voldemort ordered. The Death Eaters froze in their steps.

"Lucius," he ordered, "how about you give him a little off your potion you mentioned to me the other day. I trust you brought it?"

"Yes, My Lord. How could I forget something so important."

Harry clamped his mouth shut as Malfoy took out a deep red potion and walked towards him. There was no way he was drinking _that!_

"Open your mouth" he ordered.  
Harry simply blinked and didn't reply.

"I said, open you mouth! Or do you want the Worm to get hurt?"  
Harry glanced over at Wormtail, who was bleeding heavily and panting. Malfoy pointed his wand towards him.

Wormtail shook his head using some the energy he had left in his body. "Harry, don't worry about me."

Harry came to a decision, as he saw the man roll over and groan in pain. That was a man who didn't deserve that. Harry opened his mouth.

The Death Eater smirked in triumph. "I knew you'd see it right, with a little persuasion of course."

He poured the liquid into Harry's mouth. Harry choked at the taste and the amount of potion being poured down his throat, but swallowed it as best he could. It was no Pumpkin Juice, that was for sure.

Malfoy watched in satisfaction as a strange sensation washed through Harry's body. All of a sudden his limbs felt weaker. Breathing was harder and he started to sweat.

"It is done, My Lord." Malfoy said.

"Excellent work, Lucius. Now put him with the worm," Voldemort commanded, his icy voice cutting through the fog in Harry's mind. "But do not harm him! I have plans for him."

The men grumbled, but complied, not wanting to suffer the Dark lord's wrath, and Harry was thrown as roughly as they dared, next to Wormtail.

They lay there in silence as they watched the men retreat back to their master. Harry sighed and rested his head tiredly on the cool dirt. It felt nice.

"Harry –"

Harry turned on his side to face Wormtail.

"I'm sorry," the man whispered, "I had no control – I couldn't –"

"I know," Harry replied, "its alright. I forgive you."

But Wormtail just shook his head. "How can you?" he whispered sadly, "I've ruined your life, Harry – I killed your parents!"

"I know. You told me, remember?"

"I thought I was imagining things."

"You weren't."

They lay in silence for a while, hearing nothing but Voldemort's occasional cackle of laughter.

Harry shivered. "I hate his laugh. I hate his voice. That's going to be the last thing I ever hear, isn't it?" he asked softly.

"What?" Wormtail demanded harshly.

"Aren't they going to kill me?"

Wormtail growled. "Not if I can help it. Here, give me your arms. This is something... your father taught me to do..."

Harry rolled towards Wormtail and held out his bonds. Wormtail placed his hand on them and closed his eyes. After about two seconds of waiting, a soft blue glow emitted from his hands and surrounded the bounds, dissolving them. Wormtail opened his eyes as Harry felt his arms.

"Thank you" he said.

"Give me your legs."

Harry wriggled around until Wormtail could reach ankles, and waited for the bonds to dissolve. 

"What about you?" he asked, when they were gone.

"I have to have my entire hand around the bonds. I can't do that. You'll have to go on your own."

"No," Harry whispered fiercely, "I'm not leaving you!"

"There's nothing you can do!"

Harry glared at him and searched through his robe pockets. He was sure he had put something in there from his dad's box. He had emptied quite a bit in there before he was taken. There should be something that would – aha! Just the thing he was looking for. Wormtail's eyes widened as Harry pulled out his findings. "_James__' wand?_"

Harry nodded happily and handed it to Wormtail. "Now you can get yourself free!"

Wormtail took the wand gratefully and dissolved his bonds too. He stood up, rubbing his wrists and ankles.

"Let's go" he whispered.

Harry and Wormtail slunk through the trees, keeping in mind to stay well out of the firelight.

"To the forest!" Wormtail commanded softly.

Harry bobbed his head to show that he understood, and they crept quietly away into the trees. Once they were concealed in the dense greenery, Wormtail stopped and turned to Harry. "I want you to run. Really fast. Go find a muggle house, and ask them to take you to King's Cross Station. Then go back to Hogwarts, alright? But make sure you are not seen!"   
Harry nodded.

_"Accio Wand!"_ Wormtail whispered, and handed Harry's father's wand back to him. "Take this – its yours." Another wand came zooming towards them and hit Wormtail between the eyes.

"Ow." He grumbled as Harry stifled a giggle. "I could never get it to come to my hand."   
He picked up his wand and turned back to Harry. "Now, go. Just, if you make it, tell Remus and Sirius – tell them I'm sorry. I know that that doesn't make up for what I've done and I wont ask for forgiveness, because I know I don't deserve it." Harry nodded once again. There was nothing to say.

Wormtail opened his mouth to say something more, but then froze. Shouts were coming from the circle.

"They've discovered that we've gone! Go! Run! I'll hold them off!" Harry nodded and backed away.

"RUN!" He whirled around and stumbled further into the trees.

Wormtail clenched his wand in his hand tightly. This time, he would not be a coward. This time, he would stand against and die by the hands of those he should have six years ago. And Merlin help those bastards.

-o-o-o-  
  
Percy was curled up in a ball in the corner of the common room. Harry was gone! Everyone said that Voldemort took him. Percy had seen Draco – he was running around the castle frantic, until Bill captured him and took him up to the head boy dormitory to make him some tea and calm him down.  
  
_'Just like mum' Percy thought with a wistful _smile.

As much as he hated to admit it, he missed his mother. While Bill was off with Draco, Charlie with his friends and Fred and George together, Percy was sitting in a corner by himself. He never realised that the outside world was such a scary place, and the fact that he didn't have anyone to make it all better like his mum could, made it all worse.  
  
He sighed.  
  
"Hi there!" Percy looked up, startled. A Scottish boy with brown hair and soft hazel eyes was staring down at him.   
  
"I'm Oliver Wood" he said.

Percy stood up. "Percy Weasley." They shook hands.

"First year?" Percy asked

"I surely am."

"Me too!"

"Cool! Hey, do you want to come and play a game of chess with me?"

"Of course I would."

"Well let's go then." Oliver joyfully bounded towards a free chess board and started setting up the chess board.

"Hurry up, slow poke!" he yelled to Percy, grinning.

"I'm coming!" Percy smiled. Here was a friend.

-o-o-o-

It just so happened that the first person to burst through the trees was none other than Lucius Malfoy. Wormtail smiled wickedly.

"Hello Lucius!" Malfoy whirled around, wand pointed at Wormtail. But adrenaline was coursing its way through Wormtail's veins at an incredible rate, and nothing would stop him. __

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Malfoy fell to the ground, dead. Wormtail grinned a sick and twisted grin as he regarded the body in front of him. "Never thought that'd feel so good!" he crowed.  
  
Someone else was crashing through the trees towards him now, and Wormtail cackled.  
  
It was Bellatrix Lestrange.  
  
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"  
  
He did something of a victory dance around the bodies of two of his worst enemies. "If I'm going to die, might as well bring them down with me!" 

-o-o-o-

Meanwhile, Harry was stumbling through the trees. His energy levels were fast running out and the sweat was pouring off him. He just felt so tired....

-o-o-o-

"And down goes Averyyyyyyy! AVADA KEDAVRA! And down goes Nooooott! AVADA KEDAVRA!" Anyone who looked at Wormtail now would back away in terror – his eyes were wide and wild and he was laughing manically. But, unfortunately for the death eaters, they didn't have time to back away before he killed them.

At the moment, there were the bodies of Malfoy, Bellatrix, Rudolphus, Rabastan, Avery and Nott scattered amongst the trees. And Wormtail was just warming up.

"And who will be next!" he screamed. "Come on, I'm having FUN!"   
  
And then someone _did_ come out of the shadows. Accompanied by two death eaters.

"Voldemort! Hi! How are you tonight? You know, have people ever told you how much you resemble your father?"

"Move out of my way you insolent worm!" Voldemort ordered, finding Wormtail an aggravating little twit that was ruining everything he had worked six years for.

"No. And by the way, I was wondering – does this hurt? CRUCIO!"

Normally, a Cruciatus curse performed by Wormtail would give you a mild headache, but this was no timid call. This time Wormtail wanted to see him suffer. He wanted to see Voldemort in pain. He wanted to revel in his agony. He wanted him to pay. For everything that he had put people through. For everything he had him through.

So when Voldemort fell to the ground screaming, the two Death Eaters who had come with him stopped and stared. But Wormtail was not surprised. He could feel a scary difference inside of him. Something that he had never felt before. _Bravery._

"See how it feels?" he said, completely serious now. "See what you would put on your victims and your followers in a heart beat? Hurts, doesn't it, Tommy-boy?" He smiled grimly at the twitching Voldemort. "Well, maybe you're not as invincible as we all thought."

Somehow, as Wormtail's happiness weakened his hatred and the curse started to break apart, Voldemort managed to get a good grip on his wand and aim it steadily towards Wormtail.

Wormtail felt the green light wash through him, taking what was left of his miserable existence.

He fell to the ground, dead, with a smile on his face.

"Find the boy," Voldemort hissed as he regained his footing. "NOW!" The death eaters scrambled off into the woods, Voldemort following closely behind.

-o-o-o-

Harry stumbled over a tree root, and cried out in a hoarse voice. His lips were cracked and dry, his throat hurt, he felt as if he was about to collapse. And why was it so _hot_ in here?

A noise caused Harry to whirl around. Someone was following him! He ran faster, panting, but his feet failed him, and he crawled on his hands and knees, trying with all the energy that was left to get away from his pursuers.

Pairs of hands gripped his arms, and carried him over to a small clearing in the thick forest, slamming him against the tree. Harry's vision was slightly blurred, but he could still make out the outline of Voldemort's thin body as he glided up to him

Voldemort was getting closer and closer with every second. The Death Eaters had let go of him now, and even if he had wanted to run, he wouldn't have been able to. His limbs felt heavy, and his head swirled. Droplets of sweat fell down his face as he awaited for Voldemort to finish him off.

Voldemort had now reached Harry and he had begun to speak, but Harry didn't hear. Instead, he stared into the shadows behind Voldemort's tall, skeletal figure, where other faces began to appear. Those that he was familiar with. People from his dream, the dream that was at the start of this whole mess.

His parents. '_Don't give up hope, Harry. We love you so much – please don't let go. Please live. You deserve to,_'they said, the woman wiping a tear off her face.

"Mum? Dad?" Harry mumbled not entirely sure what was going on. The figures nodded and stepped aside.

Wormtail. Was he still alive? '_I'm sorry, Harry. But it's better this way. There is nothing for me here. That doesn't matter now anyway. All that matters is that you stay alive. You deserve to live, Harry,_' Wormtail gave him a reassuring smile, then stood on the other side of Voldemort.

Now a crowd appeared behind Voldemort. They were faces from Hogwarts. They had all come for him. He was going to be safe. There wasMooney and Draco, who was jumping up and down, trying to be seen behind the tall figure of Voldemort. Madam Pomfrey, Hagrid, Dumbledore, the Weasleys and somebody he had not expected to be there. Padfoot.

'_Come on, Harry. There's my boy. Just hang in there, right. When you get back we'll have all the fun in the world. All you have to do is hang in there__. Don't let go. Don't give up._' Sirius said, smiling – something that Harry had only seen in his dreams.

Harry smiled back this time. All he had to do was hang in there, then he would be back at Hogwarts, drawing pictures, making hats, eating at the feast and best of all, playing with Sirius. He would be happy and Mooney would be happy. They could get a big place in the country and all live there. Draco could come to. He could have the life he always dreamed of. All he had to do was hold on.

The sound of Voldemort's shrill voice slowly faded back in, and the people that had been standing there a minute ago were gone. But Harry still carried a small ray of hope. All he had to do was hold on. Then he would be back at Hogwarts. All he had to do was hold on.

Finally the words that Voldemort began making some sense, not much, but enough for him to understand.

"It's time for me to finish off something that I started a long time ago," Voldemort said, his harsh voice still not penetrating the brightness that seemed to surround Harry's very soul. "Prepare to die, as you should have done that night 6 years ago."

_ 'No,'_ Harry thought, _'I am not going to die. I'm going back to my friends. I'm going back to Padfoot, and we're going to have fun together. I'm going to play with Draco all day. I'm going to draw pictures for Mooney. I'm not going to let go!'_

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Harry shielded his eyes as the green light washed over him.

* * *

A/N: _(Gleefully rubs hands together)_ Mwahaha! Mwaha! MWAHAHAHAHA!

Just wait til next chapter – possibly my most favourite bit in the whole thing!

MAJOR CLIFFIES ARE A COMING!

Which reminds me…

THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU TO MY WONDERFUL BETA/SORT-OF BETA!

I present to thee, **TheDarkLadyOfRavenclaw**!!!

Who absolutely rocks the earth and the universe and some more! :D

This chapter (and wait, theres more) would definitely not be possible without this wonderful author's wonderfulness. Else it would be very very very crap.

Go read her story!

Thankyou! :D

- - -

Now, probably totally pointless, but I'll do them anyway – review replies…

**Flight of the Wild: **Am I badge-worthy this time?? Pleeaassee??

**Hermione HP: **Mwahahahaha!

**Yana5: **_(grins evilly)_ Just you wait for next chapter. You'll see. :D

**texasjeanette****: **Hurrah! Thankyou :D Hopefully, you got the email. If not, lets all stand on our heads and say bugger til the cows come home.

Wait, what?!

Sugar withdrawals… ignore them, please! :P

**FroBoy****: **Thankyou, Yeah doesn't it suck, and here we are :D

**Samara-Morgan-101: **I really like the idea of an uncorrupted Draco Malfoy. He'd be so handy to have around. Just think – your own automatic insult machine! You wouldn't even have to think! :P   
And plus, baby draco would be really cute.

**LadySilvrene****: **No I didn't – I went to Woop Woop. Computers don't exist there. Sorry about that.

**Shinigami****: **I present to you – OLIVER!! Thankyou – you gave me inspiration :D

**Kristin****:** AAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!! Is all I have to say :P

**MY SISTER: **You! You foul – oh wait, wrong line. You did not review! HOW DARE YOU! _(cries) _OK, im over it right about now. But don't you deny that you didn't read chapter 14! I _KNOW_ you did!

**Sorry if I missed anyone!**

**- - -**

**Thanks very much for reading, feedback/comments would be great. Thanks. Til next time, good sirs and ladies!**

**- Tinwen**


	16. The Funuslente Potion

SCHOOLS DONE!! I apologise (again) for the long time, but school sucks and so does our modem ( no time and dodgy internet) So that is unfortunately the way the cookie crumbles. But look how long this one is!! And i DID work on it a bit every night (cept for Exam Block) 

**DISCLAIMER: **Recognisable Harry Potter and co. are all JK Rowling's. And I do not own Queen. Damn.

**WARNING: **This chapter contains many people dying in gruesome ways so don't let little people read it.

Chapter 16 – The Funuslente Potion

With a sucking sound, the green light was drawn into his body, and suddenly the night grew still.

Harry glared at Voldemort with fiery green eyes. Rage boiled up inside as he reflected on just what this being had done to him. He had taken away his parents, his godfather's sanity, Moony's happiness...

Voldemort narrowed his eyes at the still-breathing boy and opened his mouth to restate the curse.

But Harry wanted Voldemort to** die.**__

The dam broke.

Green light poured out of the 7-year-old's body, illuminating the clearing with its brightness.

Voldemort screamed and twisted in agony as the raw-powered curse took over his body, lacing his skin with its green rage, turning into flames as it touched his foul body. It raced along his arms and legs, finally reaching the place his heart should have been.  
With a deafening crack, it leaped in intensity and changed from the bright green that Harry had learned to associate with evil, into a pure spectrum of colours.

The rest of the Death Eaters burst through the trees then fell to the ground - those too stupid to cover their eyes were permanently blinded.

Voldemort was rapidly engulfed in flames. Sparks leapt from his screaming figure, higher and higher, until some reached the cowering death eaters and set them alight with their fiery justice.

Harry fell to the ground, exhausted, as the last of the true death eaters burned like torches in the night.

-o-o-o-

But one hooded figure was not screaming. Like a phoenix rises from the ashes, he stood among his burning comrades and stumbled purposefully towards the unconscious boy.

He was reaching towards him when a fiery hand fell on his shoulder. The man screamed in pain as his forearm burnt with a new strength and he was turned swiftly around to face a pair of blood red eyes surrounded by flames.

The eyes flashed and they invaded his mind. The man, too weak to keep up a mind shield, struggled in vain to push his master out as images of his service as a Death Eater flashed before his eyes.

_No, he couldn't know…_

Suddenly, the images stopped. The man jolted back into the real world.

The eyes of his master burned with rage.

"You…" he hissed.

_He KNEW._

Suddenly, Voldemort screamed. The fiery hand dropped from the man's shoulder clutch the Dark Lord's eyes.

They were burning.

With a final shriek, Voldemort and his Death Eaters simultaneously burnt to the ground.

Silence.

A mist gathered around the Death Eater's ashes, spinning them in circles, and forming them into a single shape.

The man watched as the shadow of Voldemort reached hungrily towards the Boy-Who-Lived. Its finger stretched out to brush his cheek, but the shadow threw back its head and screamed as its particles were scattered in the wind.

The man was left, swaying in the smoke, listening to the silence that seemed to ring with the shadows of pain. Invisible fire seemed to dance in the clearing, creating patterns on the trees.

For the rest of time, no muggle, wizard, or animal would venture into that clearing. The grass would die, never to be replaced, and trees would grow only past its border. It came to be named as Devil's Demise, for a shadow hung heavy in the air.

The man turned. As he stumbled towards Harry, he drew his wand. A sallow-skinned hand shakily circled around the boy's lank wrist.

_"Bertie Botts"_

-o-o-o-

Snape landed neatly, and straightened up, only to be met with the end of a wand.

"POMFREY!" he roared.

"Oh… it's you Severus." The matron tucked her wand back into her pocket. "Who – HARRY! Oh, my dear boy, you poor thing! What happened to you?"

"He's unconscious, Pomfrey. He can't hear you." Snape sneered.

"Yes, well." She sniffed. "Lay him down. What happened to him?"

"He was fed a potion; I do not know which without examining him."

"Well, CHECK then!" she shrieked.

Snape hastily obeyed. She even scared _him_ sometimes.

He had his suspicions about the potion, but if they proved to be true…

He checked for the symptoms. Racing pulse, high temperature.

He jumped back in alarm as the boy's eyes sprang open and he pitched a high scream.

_Hallucinating_, he grimly noted as Pomfrey wrestled him back onto the bed, _and dilated pupils.  
_This was not looking good.

A quick examination of the boy's fingers resulted in the finding of a slight green-speckled rash, and his fears were confirmed.

He turned to the nervous matron. "Funuslente Potion, heightened by magical exhaustion."

"FUNUSLENTE!" she shrieked. "WELL, GET THE HEADMASTER! **NOW!**"

Snape whirled around and sprinted out the door.

_Don't die on me now, Potter…_

-o-o-o-o-

"Let me GO Bill! I'm just going to the bathroom!" Draco whined.

"Well, fine." Bill grumbled, "But only the bathroom – NOWHERE ELSE!"

Draco nodded gleefully, and rushed out of the common room.

But he had no intention of going to the bathroom. In fact, he had just gone half an hour ago, thankyou very much.

He cackled at his ingeniousness as he raced up to the gargoyle guarding the headmaster's office. After all, could you really expect him to _not_ try to find out about his best friend?

"Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans?"

Nope.

"Sugar Quill?"

No.

"Lemon Drop?"

BINGO!

He raced up the moving staircase to knock on the door, but suddenly stopped and lowered his ear to the wood.

-o-o-o-

"… got him?" Professor Dumbledore asked. Lupin looked up hopefully from his chair in the corner.

"Yes, Albus." Snape replied, "Pomfrey sent me up here to -"

"What? You've got him? Is he alright? Is he – "

"SIT DOWN, LUPIN!"

Remus sat down and shut his jaw with a snap.

Snape glared at him "Yes, I did bring him back. And no, he is not alright because he was force-fed the funuslente potion."

The atmosphere in the room seemed to tense, and the faces of the two men in front of him paled.

"Funuslente?" The Remus whispered.

Snape nodded wearily. "Combined with magical exhaustion."

"What happened to him?" Dumbledore interjected quietly.

Snape looked down at his long fingers.

"He… destroyed him…"

Suddenly, his mind received the full impact of what had happened that night.

He pulled up his sleeve, only to be met with unblemished skin.

The skull and snake tattoo that he had grown accustomed to every morning and night he dressed, had disappeared.

"Its gone…"

A new feeling hurled itself at Snape's senses. Something he thought he'd never feel towards any offspring of James Potter. _Gratitude._

He was _free…_

Snape was jolted out of his thoughts as the door burst open of its own accord and a very sheepish-looking Draco Malfoy fell through the doorway onto the ground.

The Potions Master frowned. "Mister Malfoy, please explain what you were doing _eavesdropping_, since I have no doubt that that's what you were doing."

Draco hauled himself up from the ground. "Er… I… do you have a Funuslente Antidote, sir?" he asked nervously.

Snape looked away, almost shamedly, "No. I do not…" he said, softly.

"You have no antidote?" Lupin queried softly.

"The Funuslente is not exactly a common potion, Lupin. I had no need for it before." Snape bit out.

"But you're a potion master! Can't you _make _one?! Can't you _save him?!_" Remus' voice increased in pitch and volume as he rose from his chair.

Snape turned his head, black eyes blazing. He'd touched a nerve. "Lupin, SHUT YOUR MOUTH! Funuslente Antidote takes 2 MONTHS to make! We do not _have _that sort of time. At most, the poison would kill him after 3 hours. Are you as imbecilic as to think that I would wish him dead? _I WOULD DO ANYTHING TO ENSURE HIS SAFETY!_"

A stunned Remus sat back down in his seat, and Dumbledore raised his eyebrows at his Potion Master's sudden change of behaviour.

Snape turned back to Draco. "Is that all you wish to say, Mister Malfoy?"

"No, sir. My father has the antidote in his manor."

Snape stared at Draco, hope swelling in his heart (contrary to popular belief, he _did_ have one), his mind calculating the possibilities, and arriving at one conclusion.

"Black."

Remus looked up at Snape sharply. "What?"

"Lucius' wards only allow for very close extended family of both himself and Narcissa. That includes first cousins. You need at least two people to get the antidote and bring it back. The only other person in this castle who fits the criteria is Black. Mister Malfoy will go with him"

But Dumbledore held up a hand. "Severus, Draco is **seven years old**. He is hardly old enough for this sort of mission!"

Draco fumed where he stood. Seven was an _old _age! Stupid Dumbledore with his evil twinkling eyes and his ugly half-moon glasses. How he'd love to jump on them. They'd make such a lovely smashing sound... 

"He is fully competent, Albus! Who else knows the manor as he? _There is no one besides Draco and Black who is able to get inside the house uninvited!_"

Draco smiled. At least greaseball was sticking up for him.

Albus nodded his head in reluctant consent. "Very well."

Remus rose from his chair determinedly. "I'll get Sirius." He said grimly.

Snape watched in satisfaction as the werewolf exited the Headmaster's office.

_So he _has_ got guts…_

-o-o-o-

As Remus entered Sirius' room his werewolf senses detected the same scent they always received when he came in here. Sadness, guilt, hopelessness. Usually it made him miserable, but today it just irked him.

He bit his tongue and walked over to the bed. Taking in a deep breath, he started.

"Padfoot, Harry's been poisoned with the Funuslente Potion. We need the antidote from Lucius Malfoy's manor, and you and Draco Malfoy are the only two in the castle who can get through the wards. He's only got three hours before we've lost him." Remus' voice cracked. "Padfoot, please."

But Sirius just stared at his favourite spot on the ceiling.

Remus, for the first time in many, many years, began to get truly angry. The wolf inside him reared its ugly head.

What did he think he was doing just _laying _here, while Harry was _dying! _Come to think of it, what did he think he was doing when Harry was left parentless? What did he think he was doing when Harry was kidnapped? What did he think he was doing all these years when Harry had no family?  
What had happened to Sirius, had happened to Remus. But _he_ wasn't so selfish as to fall into himself! Every minute that wasn't spent searching for a cure for Sirius was spent searching for a loophole in the law that would enable him custody of Harry. Which Remus might have been able to pull off if _he _was Harry's godfather!

"RIGHT!" he screamed, "THAT'S IT! I AM _SICK _AND _TIRED _OF THIS! LILY AND JAMES' _SON_ – YOUR _GODSON_ IS DYING AND YOU'RE JUST LYING THERE!" Tears pricked the back of his eyes but he continued, too angry to care. "DID YOU THINK I WASN'T HEARTBROKEN TOO? DID YOU THINK I DIDN'T TORTURE MYSELF OVER THE FACT THAT I SHOULD HAVE _KNOWN _HE WAS THE TRAITOR?"

His voice dropped to a venomous whisper. "Harry was _your _responsibility and you **_failed_**

"I renounce my friendship with you, Sirius Black. You _disgust _me."__

He turned and stalked towards the door, fuming.

_How dare he - _

"Moony… wait" a faint croaky voice called after him, and he whirled around.

Sirius' grey eyes were staring into his own, cloudiness gone.

"Help me up?"

Remus stepped tentatively towards the man and tried to pull him to his feet, only to have him collapse to the ground.

"I can't walk…" he croaked.

"Well, that's what happens after you don't move for 6 years" Remus snapped.

"Moony, I'm - "

"I don't want to hear it Sirius."

Remus placed a strengthening and mobilising charm on Sirius' legs and a healing charm on his voice box and pulled him out of the room.

-o-o-o-

"The red portkey will take you close to Malfoy Manor; the green ones will take you directly to the hospital wing."

"Headmaster, why is there only one red portkey and fifteen green ones?" Draco asked curiously.

"Just a hunch, dear boy." Dumbledore smiled.

Snape, in his corner, was muttering something that contained creative use of the words 'hunches', 'imperial jack ass' and 'rear end', when the password to the Headmaster's office was screamed angrily.

"Got quite a voice, Remus does." Dumbledore commented thoughtfully as Snape sniggered.

The office door slammed open, admitting a terrified Sirius followed by a red-faced Remus.

"Got him, Albus." He bit out, grinding his teeth.

"Thankyou, Remus." Dumbledore said calmly, "Nice to see you finally up and about, Sirius."

Sirius had the grace to look ashamed.

"Now," Dumbledore said, "the red is for the outward journey and the green will deposit you in the Hospital Wing. The activation word for the red is 'shameful' and for the green it is 'learning a lesson'."

Snape cackled gleefully at the choice of activation words, and Remus' mouth upturned slightly in one corner. Sirius stared at his feet.

Dumbledore smiled serenly. "Off you go then."

Draco hoisted the bag of green portkeys onto his shoulder, and he and Sirius both held onto the red.

"Shameful."

A tugging feeling behind their navels, and they were gone.

"Fitting activation words, Albus."

"Why thankyou, Severus."

-o-o-o-

Sirius and Draco landed with an 'oomph' behind a tree. Gathering themselves to their feet, they surveyed their surroundings. The two were standing in a small park. To their right lay a busy main road surrounded by an assortment of shops. London civilians criss-crossed the streets loaded with shopping bags, their ears assaulted with the beeps of car horns. To the left stood an old church. Its white-washed walls were surrounded with leafy bushes and trees, and birds twittered in the branches. But despite this image of peace and harmony, something was decidedly wrong. The birds, if listened to intently, seemed to sing a sick, forced song. The white walls were dirty and aged. The dappled light created by the trees flickered to form snarling faces. Sirius shivered but stuck out his chin. This was Harry's life on the line here, and he'd be damned if he was going to back out because of a scary _building._

"Where is it?" Sirius inquired forcefully.

Draco's head shot round at the harsh voice. "Follow me."

Draco led Sirius around the back of the church, and laid his hands on the ground. "Lay your hands like this and speak your full name." he instructed.

Sirius raised an eyebrow but complied. "Sirius Orion Black"

Suddenly, the earth yawned open and he was sucked into the earth, pulled under the church.

He put out his hands, but felt nothing. Only the air rushing past him.

He was falling...

-o-o-o-

Draco laughed to himself quietly as he heard the elder man screaming all the way down. And he called himself a _Gryffindor._

"Draco Lucius Malfoy", he said, and then was pulled into the ground.

He landed next to Sirius, who was lying on the ground, panting with fear and mental exhaustion, and was greeted with a black stone castle. The magical sky and sun above Malfoy Manor, for that is what it was, did not infiltrate the dense shadows that hung about the place. White, leafless trees were the only vegetation, their gnarled, dead limbs clawing at the walls and ground like fingers, and the only wildlife was a raven that croaked eerily in the branches.

"This is where I used to live"

"Huh." Sirius said weakly, beginning to gather himself off the ground.

Draco lapsed into silence, reliving the horrible memories of his past that took place here, until he was interrupted by an impatient Sirius.

"Anyday now, Malfoy."

Draco scowled. He was no _Malfoy_ "I'm coming, _Black_."

"I hope you know the way out." Sirius bit out as the boy before him pushed himself off the ground.

Draco ground his teeth. He'd only been with this man for not three minutes and he was already bugging him.

"Obviously, I do. _Otherwise _I wouldn't have led us in here."

"Well I wouldn't know what to expect from a _Malfoy_, and a Slytherin no less."

"Well, maybe I shouldn't know what to expect from you. After all, aren't you a _Black?_" he argued back

"Shut up, boy. Don't talk about things you don't understand."

_'Whatever_' Draco thought bitterly, as they both stalked, fuming, towards the castle.

-o-o-o-

"Keep a look out," Draco whispered grudgingly inside the Entrance Hall. "My mother might be home."

Sirius nodded sharply. "Do you know where we're going?"

"The only place I can think of is under our drawing room: Lucius never let me down there"

"And that is...?"

Draco pointed reluctantly.

"Well let's GO!"

Draco poked his tongue out at the back of Sirius' head as he was pulled down the corridor.

"Stick your tongue back in."

Draco resentfully complied.

"And don't roll your eyes."

"How can you _tell?_"

"Shut up" Sirius commanded.

Draco glowered angrily "No, I will NOT shut – "

A hand clamped over his mouth.

"Mmmmph!"

"Look, kid." Sirius hissed in his ear, "My god son's life is at stake here, so would you just be co-operative?"

Draco's eyebrows shot up. _Co-operative?!_ _HE wasn't the one being difficult! _

"And besides that, I hear footsteps."

_Oh._

Draco listened hard. Yes, there was definitely someone coming. He gently removed the hand from around his mouth and turned to face his new mutual enemy.

"It's mother."

Sirius didn't answer, but regarded Draco with his grey eyes, as if he was making a weighty decision.

"... hello...?"

The elder heaved a sigh then parted his lips to speak.

"You go." He said.

"What?"

"Get the antidote. I'll stay here and distract Narcissa. You are the only one of the two of us who knows where it might be, and I'd get lost."

Draco gaped at him. "But – "

"My godson's life is in your hands. Its up to you now."

Draco nodded.

Sirius' eyes sharpened with determination "I'm not losing another one to Lucius Malfoy" he whispered bitterly.

"Now GO!"

Draco turned and sprinted off into another corridor, just catching the whisper Sirius sent after him.

"Please save him..."

-o-o-o-

"How's he doing, Poppy."

Madam Pomfrey wiped her brow. "Not good, Albus. We've managed to keep him breathing, but I don't know how–"  
She stopped as the light beside Harry's bed flashed red and omitted a beeping noise.

"Remus – the potion!" she screamed, "Albus help me hold him – he's having another convulsion..."

-o-o-o-

"Aaahh Narcissa." Sirius wheedled to the woman in question's not-so-happy expression. "Dearest cousin of mine. How are you?"

"What are you doing here? I certaintly don't recall inviting you" she said coldly.

"Aaw, come on Narcissa, it's me, Sirius - the adorable cousin. I was just dropping in to say hello. Is that such a crime?" Sirius asked putting on his puppy dog face. NO ONE could resist the puppy dog face, he was sure.

Narcissa pursed her lips until they were nothing than a thin line and crossed her arms.

The animagus grinned triumphantly. "So, what's it been? Ten, eleven years? We have so much catching up to do!"

He rubbed his hands together in glee.

-o-o-o-

Draco burst into the drawing room, looking around wildly, then racing towards where the trap door was hidden.

"Master Draco!"

Said Draco leapt a foot in the air, and whirled around to encounter the pointed, ecstatic face of Dobby the house elf.

"Dobby is so glad to see you, sir! Dobby thought Master Draco had run away and was never coming back!"

"Ah... I did Dobby..." he said, attempting to steady himself, as he had lost the mobility of his legs to a house-elf hug.

Dobby's ears drooped as he looked up at his master.

"So young master is... leaving?" his lip quivered.

Draco sighed. "I'm afraid so, Dobby. But first, do you have the keys to underneath the drawing room?"

Dobby sniffed, nodded, then took out the keys and gave them to Draco.

"Thanks Dobby" he said and raced towards the carpet that concealed the trapdoor. Pulling away the carpet, and unlocking and lifting open the door, he began to descend the stairs, then stopped.

"Dobby!" he called.

"Yes Master?"

Draco pulled a sock off his foot and threw it into the arms of the house elf. "You're free. If you want work, with pay, you can go to Hogwarts. That's where I'll be."

Dobby burst into tears. "Thankyou kind master! Dobby is most grateful! How can Dobby ever repay you?"

"Don't worry about it" he smiled "see ya Dobby!"

Dobby nodded happily, clutching onto his sock tightly. He clicked his fingers and disappeared in a slight haze of smoke.

"A job well done, Draco." He congratulated himself. Then he descended down into the trapdoor.

Underneath, everything was pitch black. He carefully felt his way down the staircase. Light, by some magic, stopped at the entrance to the stairs. A heavy silence had descended upon the place, only interrupted by the occasional echoing drip of water, and sometimes a strange moaning sound. The air got colder and more stuffy the further he went down. At one point his hand touched the wall and he snatched it back – they were wet and slimy.

After what seemed like hours inching down into the blackness (when in reality it it was only seconds) Draco's foot touched the ground, and torches around the walls blazed into life.

He was standing in a narrow passage-way that stretched on into darkness. To his left was a red stone wall that seemed to be melting. Draco put his hand out to touch the strange wall again, then jolted to a stop. His hands – his hands were red, too.

Horrible comprehension dawned. The dripping he had heard wasn't water. It was blood.

Draco leapt back in revulsion and shock. Something brushed his back and he turned to come face to face with a pair of lost eyes in a torn and dirty face. The mouth twisted into a wry grin.

His heart leapt into his throat and he jumped away from the thing, trying not to touch the wall.

"S'all right, young man." The voice of the thing said, reaching through the bars. "I ain't gunna hurt ya."

Draco backed away fearfully.

I just won ya ta let me ow'." It pleaded.

He turned and ran down the tunnel, ignoring the cries from the cells that continued down his left hand side.

This tunnel... this tunnell was not a secret storage area. It was a prison. A torture chamber.

He began to understand, for the first time, just how disgusting, wrong and macabre Lucius Malfoy really was.

-o-o-o-

"Hold him!!" Madam Pomfrey screamed.

Snape and Remus forced Harry's shoulders back onto the bed and Professor Dumbledore held his head still as Madam Pomfrey poured a potion down her charge's throat.

He relaxed and began breathing normally again. The three men sighed in relief.

"Severus, if you could check..?"

Snape nodded. He bent over Harry, his sharp eyes searching.

"The rash has moved up to his shoulders." He confirmed dejectedly, head hung.

Madam Pomfrey sunk into a chair.

"The rash?" Remus inquired softly.

"Travels along his arms, starting at the fingers. Once it reaches his lungs he will die. Breathing potions will not help. Only the antidote will stop the progression of the rash and dissolve it. He hasn't got long now."

-o-o-o-

"And do you remember that time when James and I turned your hair and robes pink and wouldn't remove the spell until you cried in the Great Hall?" Sirius asked Narcissa, who was looking more murderous by the minute.

"Ah, that still brings a tear to my eye. And remember the time when Lucius dumped you after I told him you were cheating on him with Snivellus? Just hilarious. Don't you just love when I drop in, 'Cissi?"

-o-o-o-

Draco reached the end of the tunnel.

The prisoners were still moaning at him, but he ignored them. Only one thought was on his mind.

_No antidote. _

_There was no antidote!_

"THERE'S NO BLOODY ANTIDOTE!" he screamed.

The dungeons fell silent, as his voice reverberated around the walls.

Draco turned. The prisoners ogled at him.

"WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT!" he roared.

They turned away quickly and shuffled back to their respective corners of their cells.

However, one of the prisoners did not retreat. "You need the funuslente antidote?"

Draco swiftly sought out the voice. It belonged to a young woman with sandy blonde hair. Her brown eyes peered out from a sunken face. She was probably in her late twenties, but she looked so much older and more wearied.

"You know of it?" Draco asked anxiously.

"Yes. Let me out and I'll show you." She bargained.

"What if I don't?" he asked. Wild thoughts were spinning through his head. _She could be anyone,_ he reasoned. _Maybe she's a spy of Lucius' sent here to trap me. _

"Then I wont show you and you'll never find it. Besides, Im sure you don't have that much time if someone has been fed that potion."

Draco weighed up the possibilities in his mind. _Wouldn't Lucius have caught me by now? Or maybe he's trying to lure me into a sense of false security. Or maybe shes just a prisoner. _

He cast an appraising eye over her face, and was sure that noone could ever look like that. A glamour charm may have served for the appearance, but her eyes told so much more... nothing could replicate them. And she claimed to know of the antidote.

Draco sighed in consent. "Where are the keys?"

"Touch the bars."

"What?"

"Touch them. There are keys, but not here. You are of Malfoy blood, I can tell by the hair. You need none."

Draco nodded and layed his hand across the bars. They dissolved and she stepped out.

The other prisoners grumbled. "Oy Wolfy!" one yelled "get the kid to let us out!"

"Soon, Dung. Just wait a bit longer. 5 minutes is nothing compared to seven years, eh?"

Draco was stunned. _Seven years? They'd been in here for seven years?!_

There were a few more grumbles, but the prisoners seemed to accept that there was nothing they could do about it.

The woman turned to Draco. "Right," she said, "follow me."

-o-o-o-

"Oh, and do you remember when I accidentally dropped soup down your white silk dress during the Annual Dinner Party your parents held? You wouldn't talk to me for ages. Priceless. I seem to be only talking about you, rude me. I should talk about myself, but it's more fun discussing you. Remember when you had a birthday party and nobody came? Well, guess what! It was because, I, Sirius Black, told everyone it was cancelled. Brilliant joke no?"

Narcissa flexed her fingers. How she would _love_ to get them around his scrawny neck and _squeeze_.

-o-o-o-

The woman led Draco back along the passageway. Her gaze was trained on the ground, and she was limping slightly. He was about to inquire as to her well being, when suddenly she stopped and her head snapped up. She turned to the wall.

"Bleeding wall." She remarked, smirking.

Draco's jaw dropped. "How can you _joke_ about that! Isnt it your blood?"

She waved it aside. "Nah! Well... some of it is. But we wouldn't have enough blood all together to cover the entire wall. Its muggle fake blood with a few charms. One thing about Lucy – he'll go to any lengths to make sure his pleasant sense of interior decorating is fulfilled to perfection."

She winked.

Draco was horrified.

"Oh lighten up! I've spent seven years in here. Got to have _something_ to joke about." She frowned "although, that one _is _getting a little old. Anyway – "

She closed her eyes and held up her hands inches away from the wall. "Open Sesame!" she cried.

The blood parted and a doorway formed.

_"That_ was the password?" Draco asked, incredulous.

The woman smirked. "Come on," she said, and pulled him through the passageway.

-o-o-o-

Narcissa's right eye began to twitch, and a vein had popped out of her forehead.

Sirius was in for it now. But he had to be strong. For Harry. Even if it meant he would die. At least that boy could find the antidote while his cousin was busy strangling him.

He'd fired all his ammunition, but he had one last round. It was time to take the final plunge.

"You know, I barely remember what happened in the past six years. They went so fast. I did a lot of thinking. I've finally come to a decision that I will have to tell you what I _should_ have told you at the very beginning. Did you know that you look as if you have shit under your nose, the way you scrunch it up? I mean, there isn't much difference, but it does make you uglier than you are."

He sucked in what might be his final breath and waited for the fireworks to begin.

-o-o-o-

The woman pulled him down the secret corridor and stopped outside a doorway to a room.

"It's in there." she said, "I can't go in – don't have Malfoy blood. Just run in, grab the antidote and come out. Knowing Lucy, it will probably be on display with the Funuslente in the middle of the room – it's his most prided creation. _Do. Not. Touch. Anything. Else._ Is that clear?"

Draco nodded.

"Good luck, kid. Now go!"

He ran into the room, ignoring the hundrends of other bottles lining the wall and fixed his sight on a small table. Two bottles were sitting on top of it, which were, just as the woman had predicted, labled 'Funuslente Potion' and 'Funuslente Antidote'. He walked towards the antidote, his arm outstretched, when a flash of gold caught his vision.

He turned.

The bottle on the shelf seemed to outshine everything – even the urgency to get the antidote back to Harry. Draco's thoughts focused completely on the dancing golden colour of its contents. It was so beautiful...  
He reached up and took it down from its place on the shelf.

_'Parental Love Serum,' _it read.

Draco's heart beat faster as he turned it over to read the back.

_'This potion allows intensified feelings of parental love, from the consumers biological parents to the consumer. To be taken in its entirety.'_

Parental love? Wasn't that what he had been wishing for all along? All he had to do was drink the potion...

In his minds eye, Draco saw himself drink the potion and smile. He watched his imaginary self run out of the dungeons and into the drawing room, where he was swept up into the arms of a gently-smiling Narcissa, who fussed over his sadness and his sore feet. She kissed him on the forehead and took his hand, leading him into the kitchen to bake cookies. Draco stepped into the kitchen after them, and gasped – they, and the kitchen, had disappeared. Instead, Draco was facing the back of a much older version of himself, standing alone in the middle of a grassy plain, sky overcast with a wind that wipped his hair wildly. As Draco watched, the teenage him knelt down, and placed a flower on a... tombstone. Then he got up, wiped a tear, and walked away.  
Draco crept forward to read the words.

_Harry__ James Potter  
__1980 – 1987_

_He's Only Flying Too Close To The Sun_

_RIP Pronglet_

_We love you._

Draco leapt back and let out a strangled cry, jerking himself back into the real world as the bottle of Parental Love Serum smashed at his feet. He backed away from the mess, breathing hard, grabbed the antidote and sprinted out the door, barrelling into the woman.

"Hey hey hey! Watch where you're goin!"

"Can we just go?" he asked frantically, tucking the Funuslente antidote into his robes.

She eyed his white face curiously and opened her mouth to ask a question.

"Don't," he entreated her, "please, lets go."

He didn't want to imagine what would have happened if he'd drunk the potion. The vision would have come true and Harry...

She nodded, and began pulling him up the passageway.

"Thankyou Ma'am."

"Call me Ella, ok?"

"Draco."

"Nice to meet you, Draco. Now lets get my mates out, okay?"

Draco nodded, glad to be away from that accursed room, and they burst out of the opening.

"Right," Ella said cheerfully, "off you go!"

He ran to the very end of the corridor and trailed his hand across the bars all the way up to the stairs at the start, dissolving them. The prisoners spilled out behind him, shouting thanks and cheering.

A slight smile curved up the corners of his mouth as he heard their praise.

Maybe he wouldn't be that hard for someone to love.

-o-o-o-

Sirius winced as Narcissa wipped out her wand.

"You are the most annoying person to step foot on this planet! Why do you always seem to be involved in my mishaps? If something goes wrong, ITS ALWAYS YOUR FAULT!" she thundered.

"Hoo boy.." Sirius muttered. When Narcissa yelled, you knew you were in deep doo doo.

"Cousin dearest...."

But Narcissa had had enough. She hissed a banishing charm and watched in satisfaction as her cousin flew backwards out the manor, showing no signs of stopping.

"WAIT! I HAVEN'T TOLD YOU ABOUT HOW SNIVELLUS FEELS ABOUT YOU! CISSIIIIIIIIII!"

Narcissa stomped over to the door and slammed it shut, just catching sight of Sirius as he flew out the staircase that served as a doorway into the world above.

She was fuming. How dare he –

Her thought train stopped as her ears caught sound that shouldn't belong in the silent manor.

And it definetly wasn't her cousin screaming as he flew over london.

She turned her head, and purposefully strode towards it.

-o-o-o-

"For Merlin's sake Lupin – HURRY UP! NO NOT THAT ONE! How many times do I have to tell you – I WANT THE PURPLE ONE, NOT THE BLUE!"

Remus frantically skidded back to the potion cupboard and pulled out a purple bottle.

"EXACTLY! NOW BRING IT HERE!"

Madam Pomfrey turned back to her young charge. He was sitting bolt upright in the bed, his eyes rolling back into his head, and his face turning blue.

Snape was frantically flapping his hands at Harry's figure.

"Severus, as much as I appreciate the thought, that's NOT GOING TO WORK! Now MOVE!" she roared, shoving him out of the way.

She snatched the potion from Remus' hand and poured it down Harry's throat.

He fell back onto the bed, taking shaky breaths, his face returning to its normal hue.

Her eyes flicked to the empty Breath Potion bottles scattered around the bed.

"How many are left?" she asked worriedly.

Snape checked the potion cupboard.

"Four."

Madam Pomfrey hung her head.

"In his current state, each potion will last for 5 minutes at the most," she whispered, "If they don't come back with the antidote within 20 minutes, he will die."

Remus turned and stared out the window.

_Where are you?_

-o-o-o-

Sirius picked himself off the ground and took a look at his surroundings. And despaired.

He was at least an hours walk from Malfoy Manor. He'd never get there in time!

He lowered his gaze to the ground, scuffed his shoe in the dust, paused, blinked, then smacked himself in the head.

"You idiot!" he hissed "Apparate!"

Shaking his head at his stupidity, Sirius took out his wand and closed his eyes, imagining the eerie church.

When he opened his eyes again, he smiled, then raced around the back.

Screw the muggles. Let them be hallucinating for today.

"Sirius Orion Black!" he commanded, and fell into the earth.

-o-o-o-

Narcissa's steps quickened as she neared the drawing room. Now she was convinced. Something was up with the prisoners. What reason would they have to cheer? It wasn't exactly a holiday down there.

Or maybe.... maybe one of them had escaped.

But how? The only people who could set them free had to be overseen by a malfoy, or be a Malfoy themselves. And she knew all of her husbands friends were at a meeting. So who...?

Draco.

Draco was in the house. Sirius was distracting her. It all made sense!

She scurried to the drawing room.

-o-o-o-

Draco dissolved the last of the cell bars and stood at the steps, watching with satisfaction as the prisoners laughed in sheer delight.

He smiled as a few bounded up to him, including the man he had first seen, who apologised 'fa scarin ya befare'.

"That's fine" he said.

Others came up and introduced themselves. " 'Dung Fletcher, at ya service." One said, grinning. "Champion drinker of Hogwarts."

"Eh Dung, that was a long time ago."

"Yeah but I'm still tha one an only!"

Draco laughed.

-o-o-o-

The raven in front of Malfoy Manor watched with interest as a man fell through onto the earth, transformed into overlarge dog and infiltrated the mansion through the window.

_Not something you see everyday_, he remarked to himself. He then remembered where he was, and quickly resumed the role of 'imposing gothic raven' appointed to him by his master, Lucius, as part of his interior decorating scheme. Got a bit boring at times, really.

-o-o-o-

Sirius hurtled through the halls as fast as he could, following his cousin's scent. He wished she didn't wear such strong perfume. It smelt like gasoline. Although in this case it was helpful.

He caught sight of her just as she slipped into the drawing room, and padded over and slunk in quietly after her.

Dogs, unfortunately, cannot grin evilly, so you never know what they're thinking...

-o-o-o-

The prisoner's trooped up the stairs, chattering excitedly.

Draco, the leader, got to the top and froze. Directly in front of him was Narcissa Malfoy, her hands on her hips, and one carefully plucked blonde eyebrow raised.

They stared at eachother in defiance, neither backing down, until –

A large black shaggy dog soared through the air, landing on top of her head. She screamed as she fell and Sirius stuck his paws in her perfectly piled blonde hair and messed it up, a gleeful look in his eye.

"LETS GO!" Draco yelled. The captives surged out of the dungeons, roaring with laughter at Narcissa's predicament, who was now alternating between shouts of "THE GRIM!", "STOP THEM!" and "MY HAIR! MY HAIR!".

Sirius listened for the shouts to fade, indicating the prisoners had made it outside the manor, before giving one last rub to his cousin's hair and running out to join them.

Narcissa straightened up, wiped the invisible dust of her robes, and tried to act as if nothing had happened even if she was scared out of her wits. Then she caught sight of herself in a mirror and forgot all about the escaping prisoners.

**"MMMYYYYY _HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRR_**

-o-o-

The ex-prisoner's gathered around the portkeys as Sirius, now in human form, sprinted out of the house and grabbed one with Draco. "You did good kid" he smiled. "I'm sorry for underestimating you." Draco grinned. "S'Ok. Thanks for distracting her. And I'm sorry for being snarky to you."

"Friends?"

"Friends."

They shook hands, and Sirius took control.

"Okay, everyone! Make sure you have a good hold of your portkeys! The activation code is 'learning a lesson'!".

"LEARNING A LESSON!"

-o-o-o-

_Hogwarts..._

"Come on, Harry. Breathe!" Remus yelled, grabbing Harry's hand. Madam Pomfrey was sobbing on the other side of the bed, and Snape was clutching his sallow face.

"Harry – come ON! PLEASE!" But Harry didn't respond. His eyes were wide open, his pupils dilated and his face was quickly turning blue.

**"HARRY!"**

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

**A/N: **

So, didya like it? 25 pages in MS Word. 6323 words. Gah.

My fingers hurt.

NOW WE HAVE: - da da daaaaaaa –

**QUESTION TIME!!**

_Why the rum balls did I kill Wormtail?  
_Well, I figured if I didn't kill him, he'd be sad and miserable and suffer heaps. Even though he saved Harry, everyone else (especially Remus and Sirius) won't be so easy to forgive him for his betrayal. He could end up in Azkaban and we don't want that. So I figured he'd better die.

_Will it be slash?  
_Nope, don't write slash. Sorry

_Why can't Warner Bros spell Moony? _Who knows. All I know is that they spelt it MOONEY on the M. Map in HP3 and I thought I was spelling it wrong and took their spelling.... which was wrong...

_Who gave Peter sugar? _Mwahahaha  
**_-hides sugar bowl-  
_**It was fun to make him crazy! :P

_Is Voldemort dead for good?  
_YES!! :D

And that is all :D

**Hrei-siesn**  
Thankyou so much for your review. You wacked it right on the nose – now I know what I'm doing wrong. When I read back on what I've written I end up wondering what the hell can I do to make it sound smoother, if you get what I mean. And it was 4 times worse before my beta got to it and fixed it more (thank god). Sometimes I can tell there's something wrong with it, but I don't know what to do about it. I think a part of my problem is that I'm thinking visually, instead of in writing form, so I end up seeing it in my head as a movie and trying to write all the complexities down. But that just doesn't work. _Sigh._ But this is my first big fic, so hopefully I'll get better! When that happens, I'll go back, laugh at all my attempts at fanfiction, and revise it. I hope you'll like this chapter (when its done or so far) better than the last ones – with any luck it's more like it should be _(crosses fingers)_. Thanks for your criticism and compliments, too. I'm glad to hear this interests you, despite its crappiness :)

p.s. reading back on my chapter Im finding bits that I have no idea how to fix, so maybe I just to leave them a while and go back and edit them later on. _(shrugs)_

- tinwen


	17. Home Again

**Chapter 17 – Home Again**

He wasn't breathing – _he wasn't breathing!!_ Severus Snape clutched his face, all pretence of icy behaviour gone.

Then he screamed and fled to a nice, dark corner.

Well, it wasn't _every _day that a massive crowd of what looked like Azkaban escapees headed by your archenemy appeared in the school hospitable with no warning.

He blamed it on stress.

But Black didn't even spare him a glance. In fact, he untangled himself from the crowd and skidded across the floor to Harry's bed, antidote in hand.

Oh, right – Harry.

"Here – Draco found it." Sirius said, instantly paling at the blue shade of his godson's face.

Madam Pomfrey snatched the antidote out of Sirius' hands and in one swift movement, poured it down his throat while Remus magically enabled the swallow reflex.

Seconds seemed to tick by like hours, each making Sirius' heart sink lower and lower.

He couldn't be dead... he just _couldn't _be...

Just when he felt as though all was lost, Harry let out a choking gasp, and his face began to return to its normal colour.

He was breathing! Sirius let out a sigh of relief, grateful that he had been able to provide the antidote in time, Remus sank into a chair, and Madam Pomfrey began fanning herself with a lovely oriental fan that she had gotten as a gift from her daughter when she visited Japan.

Severus slowly emerged from his dark and shady corner, only to be run over by Draco.

"Is he ok? Is he better?" asked the frantic boy.

"He will be fine, Mr Malfoy." Albus Dumbledore remarked from his place by the bed, his twinkle in full flight. "Because of you five, I believe no lasting damage has been done. He will need some time to recover, but if all goes well, Mr Potter should be awake in less than two weeks."

Madam Pomfrey glared. That was _her_ field.

Unfortunately, some of the prisoners caught onto that name and craned their heads to look.

"Well bless my soul, is that _Harry Potter_?!" Gasped a prisoner.

"It is!" cried another. "It's the Boy-Who-Lived!"

Madam Pomfrey glared at them and ripped the curtains around.

"Yeah, real smooth, twinkle man." Draco muttered from behind the divider.

Severus, who had peeled himself off the ground and slid back to his corner, caught Draco's comment and sniggered.

"Why Severus! I didn't see you there! Come over here."

And glowered. _Damn_.

He slunk out of his dark refuge and over to the Headmaster as he turned to the prisoners.

"Welcome to Hogwarts! Professor Snape will escort you to the guest quarters. House elves will be around shortly with food, and if any of you are in need of her services, the Professor will show you where to contact her."

The Potions Master groaned internally.

_People. _He_ hated_ people

-o-o-o-o-

As Snape sulkily swept them out of the Hospital Wing, Ella fought against the eager crowd of prisoners to get back inside.

"No – let me through – "

With a yell, she broke through the end and ran across the room, slipping behind the curtains. He was sleeping peacefully now, his hair mussed up wildly, hands clasped firmly in those of the people beside him.

"Um – what are you doing?" asked a familiar voice.

_It couldn't be_

Her head shot up and her eyes met the gaze of Remus Lupin.

They both choked.

Remus opened his mouth, then closed it, as if unsure what to say.

She was almost unrecognizable. Her hair, skin and raggedy clothes were dark brown with dirt, muck and dried blood, her eyes were sunken and her cheeks, hollow.

But underneath, it was still her.

"Ella?" He whispered.

Someone sputtered in the background, but she didn't care.

She smiled and launched herself across the bed into Remus' arms.

"I thought you were dead" he whispered, clinging onto her. "I thought you were dead. I'm so sorry."

Her eyebrows rose in surprise "It's not your fault, Rem. I'm here now – it doesn't matter."

"It _is _my fault! I was meant to know! Aren't twins meant to know? _Aren't they?_ You spent seven _years _in that place! I thought he killed you! I thought – "

"Shhh Remus, calm down." She said soothingly to her hysterical brother. "It's not your fault, its not my fault, its no one's fault but Malfoy and Voldemort. You can't always save me."

Remus burst into tears and buried his head into her shoulder.

-o-o-o-o-

Severus glowered darkly as he slammed the door behind the prisoners as they settled into their quarters.

Bloody Dumbledore.

-o-o-o-o-

_Seven days__ later_

That morning, the castle was woken by a shrill scream as an ex-prisoner tried to break into the kitchens. Not realising, of course, that it was Professor McGonagall's quarters.

Elsewhere in the castle, Harry Potter finally opened his eyes.

He smiled lazily and stretched out his arms. Something on his leg jerked and emitted a strange noise. He froze and slowly reached for his glasses. When he put them on, he leapt back in surprise. For there on his bed, was not one thing, but four. They were all different sizes and colours, but Harry could tell they were all the same type. One thing was black, two were a sandy colour, and the last was a platinum colour that was almost white. They didn't look very dangerous, but Harry knew that looks could be deceiving. Take his 'invisibility' cloak for example. Harry stared at the things, waiting for them to do something, when one of them turned to the side. Harry blinked in surprise and peeked over the edge of his bed.

_Oh,_ he thought, feeling incredibly stupid, _they're heads_.

Suddenly, the black-haired person snorted started to stir. They lifted their head and rubbed sleep out of their eyes, then smiled and stretched their arms.

Then their eyes focused on Harry. "Harry! You're awake!"

But Harry just stared...

"Harry?"

And stared...

"Harry, if you don't close your mouth soon, the flies will make a home in there."

And shut his mouth. And stared...

"Bloody hell – HARRY!"

Harry jerked himself out of his daze. "Sirius?!"

Sirius grinned. "Yep – it's me, kiddo!"

"But – huh?" Sirius waved his question off and leaned forward and wrapped Harry in a bear hug. Harry hugged him back, enjoying the feeling of being loved, until

"Sirius – you're choking me!" he wheezed.

"Oh, sorry" Sirius smiled sheepishly.

Harry breathed in deeply. "So, why am I in the Hospital Wing?"

Sirius smile dropped. "Do you remember what happened that night with Voldemort?"

"Yeah, last night?"

"Err... no. Actually, that was more than a week ago."

"What?!"

"Well, it seems that Malfoy," he spat,"decided to give you a potion. It's fatal, extremely painful and most definitely illegal. Not instant death though. The life expectancy of someone who has just consumed the Funuslente Potion is about two hours. You held on for a lot longer than you should have."

"Why am I still alive?" Harry asked.

"Draco." Sirius smiled "him and me went to Malfoy Manor to find the antidote. It took us a while, but we found it."

Harry nodded. "But – what exactly happened to me?"

Sirius sighed. "When you were brought in by Snape, you were sweating and hallucinating. You had an extremely high fever. Snape recognised the symptoms and Draco and I went to get the antidote from Malfoy Manor. Apparently, when we were gone, you had a series of convulsions, then you... stopped breathing. We came in at that time, which was about two and a half hours after you were administered the potion. When I gave you the antidote, you started to breathe again, your temperature went back to normal and your fever and hallucinations disappeared. You scared me to death, Harry."

"Sorry."

"No, it's not your fault. Just – I almost lost you. "The two sandy-haired people began to stir. 

"About time!" Sirius remarked, his sombre mood gone. "I thought they'd never wake." Harry looked curiously at the figure next to yawning Remus. If he didn't know better, he would've thought Moony had changed himself into a girl.

"Harry, this is Moony's twin sister, Ella." Sirius said

The Lupin twins head's snapped up and they grinned. "Harry! You're awake!"

Harry regarded Ella closely for a moment, before his face brightened in recognition. "I remember you! You're Wolfy!" Ella fell off the bed in surprise, waking up Draco, and causing the others to laugh.

"How – how'd you know that?" she asked from her spot on the floor.

"No idea." Harry shrugged

"Yeah, he did that to me too" Remus said. "Scared me to no end!"

Sirius smiled and reached out a hand to hoist Ella off the floor.

Harry raised his eyebrows after about 30 seconds. Surely she didn't need to hold onto his hand for _that _long.

"What?" Sirius said, and hurriedly let go. Ella blushed. Remus let out what sounded strangely like a giggle. Harry laughed.

His gaze travelled over to where Draco was finally opening his eyes. As he caught sight of the raven haired boy, Draco's eyes widened and he opened his mouth, but Harry cut him off.

"Draco, don't you dare tell me I'm awake." He warned

Draco grinned sleepily. "Harry, you're awake!"

Harry grabbed his pillow and whacked him over the head, while the adults laughed and Draco yelled in protest. It was at this point in time that Madam Pomfrey decided to come in.

"Mr Potter, you're awake!" the other's laughed, but Harry rolled his eyes and smiled.

"Hello, Madam Pomfrey."

"Oh, dear boy, you gave me such a fright. Do you feel alright? Do you hurt anywhere? I told these ragamuffins to leave, but they weren't having any of it!"

"I'm fine Mrs Pomfrey, I – " Harry was cut off by a muffled thud and yell on the other side of the Hospital Wing door.

"Harry's awake, guys! He's awake!"

The door burst open and in piled Fred, George, Bill, Charlie, Percy and Oliver Wood, who Harry had met one day when walking through the halls. (Absolutely obsessed with some sport called Quidditch. He wouldn't stop talking about it! Especially when Harry mentioned he didn't know what Quidditch was...)

As the others crowded around his bed and bombarded him with questions, Harry saw another figure pause at the door.

They stepped hesitantly into the room, face bowed. But Harry waited patiently, and when the figure raised his head unsurely, Harry smiled. 'Thank you' he mouthed.

And slowly and uncertainly, Professor Snape smiled a little back.

**THE END **

A/N: Not too happy with how some bits in this chapter turned out, but oh well. Hope you liked it anyway!

Epilogue time!


	18. Epilogue

**Epilogue **

Harry watched in horror as his piece of cake flew across the room, curving gracefully in the air, and landing smack-bang in the middle of Remus' face.

"Oh no. I'm so sorry Remus!" he apologised as Ella laughed so hard she fell on the floor, "here let me get you a napkin. Geez I'm so – "

But whatever Harry was going to say next was cut off by a faceful of cream.

Spluttering, he wiped it off, and saw Remus' cake covered face laughing back at him.

Ella jumped up from under the table and grabbed the nearest plate of ice-cream in eager anticipation.

Harry grinned. "Right. That's it!" He scooped up a handful of pie and threw it as hard as he could at the sandy-haired man's face.

Draco skipped into the room, surveyed the scene, and, as if it was the most normal thing in the world, picked up a nearby jug of custard, and emptied it over Ella's, Remus' and Harry's head, officially earning himself a place in the food fight.

Sirius, hearing the commotion, casually strolled down to the kitchen to see what was up.

Upon seeing the bits of cream, cake, pie, ice-cream, custard and the occasional random meatball (don't ask) flying across the room, a maniacal grin spread across his face, and he leapt into the fray, wielding his deadly choc chip ice cream and four flavours of jelly.

Forty-five minutes later, when all the food in the house was currently spread across the walls, floors and ceiling, the quintet collapsed laughing on the floor.

"Well," said Sirius, after he finished wiping the custard away from his mouth, "seeing as we have no food left, I think I'll go buy some more!"

Remus, Draco, Ella and Harry shared an amused glance as Sirius lifted himself off the ground and walked out of the room. Thirty seconds later, they heard the front door slam. They looked at each other in amazement.

"You don't think – "

They rushed over to the window, and burst out laughing all over again. For there, strolling down the street like it was the most normal thing in the world (despite the shocked looks he was receiving) was Sirius, totally unrecognisable for the human he was.

"Well," Draco managed to gasp out, "I'd like to see the look on the shop keeper's face when he comes face-to-face with a multi-coloured abominable snowman."

And they cracked up all over again.

"That's my fiancée" Ella commented fondly, when the laughing died down.

Silence reigned for all of five seconds while Ella grinned mischievously.

"FIANCEE?!"

"WHAT?!"

"YOU'RE GETTING **MARRIED!**"

Ella laughed. "Eventually… We were engaged before, don't you remember Remus?"

Comprehension dawned.

"YOU **DIDN'T** SPLIT UP?"

"Well technically, yes. But only because he thought I was dead."

The boys sat in stunned silence, then as one, jumped on top of their sister/godmother/adopted aunty.

"Can I be best man?"

"What about us!"

"I _REFUSE_ to be a flower boy!"

"That's for giiiiirrrrllls!"

"You can't make me be a flowerboy! It's just not natural! Do I look like a girl to you?"

"..."

"HARRY!"

So this is where we leave Harry.

He has three loving parent figures, a brother, and years of fun and laughter ahead of him.

His battle is over, and his life has begun.

-o-o-o-o-

That's it! The end! I'm actually rather relieved – no more being yelled at for not updating :P

**A big thankyou to ****TheDarkLadyOfRavenclaw**** for all your help! You've been a wonderful beta :)**

Many, many thanks should also go to all you who reviewed. Without your feedback I might have abandoned this story, if only uploading it. I'm glad you enjoyed reading it. Thank you again!

Just some things:

I'll be doing 'Azkaban' next. It will probably be renamed. And I've also decided that I'm going to finish the story BEFORE I start posting it. Yes. Good course of action to avoid reviewers with pitchforks. Or crossbows.

Bye everyone!

p.s. I might be changing my name. 'Eruve Tinwen' is beginning to p!$$ me off… I will need my sister to help me employ an utterly ridiculous replacement ;)

So, if you want to find me (not that I'd know why) and I've disappeared, you could type in 'eruve tinwen' into the summary search because I'll put it as 'formerly called eruve tinwen' or something like that in my next random oneshot. Save us.


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